The dog and the wolf

The dog and the wolf are brothers. For long they had lived happily until one day jealousy got the better of them. Ask any herder, and they will tell you how it happened.  

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The dog and the wolf possessed qualities that helped them survive in the wild. The wolf was a stealthy runner who could run great distances, while the dog was gifted with the power of smell. Together, they complemented each other perfectly. The dog would sniff prey from a distance, while the wolf would then hunt down the prey by outrunning them. They would share the spoils from the hunt and barely did they go without food.  However, one question bothered them – how would they survive alone if the other was missing for some reason? So, both the dog and the wolf made a pact: to help each acquire the skill possessed by the other. 

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It was the wolf’s turn first. He was a very patient teacher. He taught the dog every trick he knew which had helped him run long and fast. With time the dog followed the wolf’s lessons and became a good runner. It was now the dog’s turn to teach the wolf the art of sniffing. The dog was slow in training the wolf, who was a good learner. Soon the wolf learnt to sniff out prey that were at short distances. The dog promised to teach the wolf the final tricks soon. But it was all a farce. When the wolf woke up the next morning, he was shattered to see that his brother had actually run away and made friends with a new companion. The dog had fled and made friends with the man, just so he wouldn’t have to share his prized skill with his brother. 

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Ever since, herders who rear livestock have kept guard dogs to protect them from being lifted. But wolves often manage to lift livestock, which herders believe, is an attempt to square off a deal that the dog left incomplete.

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