The Child's Story: The Tender-Hearted Dog

A hunter had a watchful dog whom he entrusted, every morning, with going to one of the bakeries near his house to buy him just two loaves of bread. He would put their price for him in a little basket hung around his neck, and on the dog's return he would feed him one loaf and keep the other for himself.

It happened one day that while that watchful animal was returning with the two loaves, as was his habit, a muffled whimpering struck his ear from a place facing his path. He went up to it at once, and saw there a bitch crouched down, suckling her pups and licking them with her tongue; and pity and tenderness for them all took hold of him. When their mother smelled the scent of the bread, she rose from her little ones and drew near the dog, wagging her tail. He came straight up to her and let her take one of the two loaves, then went on his way until he reached his master, his head hung low for fear of his wrath. When his master found nothing in the basket but a single loaf, he set about scolding him and pulling his ears, while the dog did not stir a muscle.

On the morning of the next day he set out for the bakery, and on his way back with the two loaves he turned aside to the place of that hungry bitch, a daughter of his own kind, and let her devour a loaf as before; and on his arrival at the house his master gave him a painful beating, while he hung his head and offered no resistance whatever. The third time, however, his master wanted to know for certain where that loaf was going, so he lay in wait for him at a spot along his path, until he saw him turn aside to the place of that bitch and her pups. He hurried after him, and when he saw what he saw of his dog's zeal and generosity and his devotion to his own kin, he was pleased with him beyond measure, and began patting his head and his whole body. From that time on he would send the baker the price of three loaves: one loaf he took for himself, one for his dog, and the third for his dog's friend and her pups — until they were fully grown, when he went back to buying only two loaves. Glory be to the Lord, the apportioner of daily bread, who never, ever forgets a single one of His creatures.