Anecdotes of Animals Part 13

A shepherd, in one of his trips to look after his flock, took with him one of his children, a boy three years old. After crossing his pastures for some time, followed by his dog, he found it necessary to ascend a hill at some distance, to obtain a better view of his range. As the climb was too much for the little child, he left him on a small plain at the bottom, telling him not to stir from it until his return. Scarcely had he gained the top of the hill, however, when the sky was darkened by a thick mist. The anxious father at once hurried back to find his child; but owing to the unusual darkness, he missed his way. After a fruitless search of many hours, he discovered that he had reached the bottom of the valley, and was near his own cottage. To renew the search that night was both vain and most dangerous; he was, therefore, compelled to go home, although he had lost both his child and his dog, that had attended him faithfully for many years. Next morning, by break of day, the shepherd, with many of his neighbors, set out to look for the child; but after a day of searching, he returned to his home, disappointed. He found that the dog which he had lost the day before had been to the cottage, and after getting a piece of cake, had at once gone away again.

For several days the shepherd kept up the search, and on his return each evening, he found that the dog had been home, had received his usual allowance of cake, and then had instantly disappeared. Struck with this strange behavior on the part of the dog, he remained at home one day; and when the dog, as usual, left with his piece of cake, he decided to follow him, and find out the cause of this queer procedure. The dog led the way to a cataract at some distance from the spot where the shepherd had left the child. Down a rugged and almost perpendicular descent the dog began, without hesitation, to make his way, and at last disappeared by entering into a cave, the mouth of which was almost level with the torrent. The shepherd with difficulty followed; but on entering the cave, what was his joy, when he saw his lost baby boy eating with much satisfaction the cake which the faithful dog had just brought to him, while the n.o.ble creature stood by, looking at his young charge most lovingly. The child had probably wandered to the brink of the precipice, and then had either fallen or scrambled down till he reached the cave.

The dog had tracked him to the spot; and afterward kept him from starving by giving up to him his own daily portion of food. He never left the child by day or night, except when he went for the food; and then he was always seen running at full speed to and from the cottage.

[Ill.u.s.tration]