Eiseeyou was awakened very early the following morning by Oumauk, who wanted all the family to arouse themselves in order that they might attend to the cub. But Eiseeyou, who was very tired, for once asserted his parental authority and made Oumauk keep still while the rest slept.
When they did at last arise, the cub was the first of the family to get his breakfast. And from that very day he became one of the family as well as a very important inhabitant of Eskimo Town.
For the first few days Eiseeyou had to admonish frequently to keep his small son from loving the bear to death, for he hugged and squeezed him continually. Finally Eiseeyou explained very tragically that if they did not let the cub sleep a lot just as sister did, he would die and they would have to bury him, just as they had Oumauk's favorite puppy the summer before. It had the desired effect and after this Oumauk was very careful.
It was hard, though, when the winds howled outside, and the snows blew and all the children in the village had to stay inside, for Oumauk to keep his hands off his small bear companion.
On pleasant days, Oumauk would go forth having wrapped Whitie up in a warm fur, although really there was no need of that as the cub had a very warm fur of his own. But Oumauk would wrap him up nicely and then, putting him on his small komatik which his father had made for him, would go about the village exhibiting his pet to all the children.
There was great rivalry among the boys to be allowed to help draw the komatik, but Oumauk would suffer only his best friends to help.
When Whitie grew steady on his legs, and larger and stronger, he was allowed to shuffle about for himself with the children. But Oumauk never allowed him to get more than ten feet away, and he was quite jealous of the other children who wanted to pet Whitie.
When the spring finally came and the sunbeams were warm, great rejoicing filled Eskimo Town. Although they bear the long dark winter stoically and do not grumble at their hard lot, yet it is probable that no people on earth so rejoice at the coming of Spring as do the Eskimos.