White Fang Summary

In the freezing wilderness, two men find themselves in danger as their dogs are seduced and devoured by a pack of wolves, led by a she-wolf. Out of ammunition, Bill attempts to rescue one of their dogs but is tragically devoured along with the pet. The remaining man, Henry, manages to survive by keeping the wolves at bay with a fire, and eventually saved by a group of passing travelers.

The wolf pack, suffering from a period of famine, is led in their desperate search for food by a few wolves and the she-wolf. When they find sustenance, the pack starts to disperse. The she-wolf mates and has a litter, but due to further famines, only one strong and spirited pup survives. This she-wolf, who is a half-dog hybrid, returns with her pup to an Indian village and is recaptured by her former owner, Gray Beaver. The she-wolf is later sold to another Indian, but her pup, White Fang, remains with Gray Beaver, who tolerates, even encourages, his vicious behavior, especially towards a local dog named Lip-lip.

White Fang's increasing ferocity leads him to kill other dogs. Following a trading trip that leads Gray Beaver to develop an addiction to whiskey, White Fang is given to a cruel man named Beauty Smith, who forces him into brutal dog fights. White Fang's life takes a turn when he is rescued from a deadly battle with a bulldog by a man named Scott. Scott domesticates White Fang and brings him to California. There, White Fang grows to love his new family, proving his loyalty by saving Scott's father from a convict. Eventually, White Fang fathers a litter of puppies with Collie, another one of Scott's dogs, and settles into a contented life.