WHY DOGS DO NOT TALK
At the foot of a mountain, with his daughter Neti and his dog, lived Nudi, an Indian whose wife had left him. He was fond of both, but of the two he loved his dog more dearly as she gave to him affection and obedience.
At the time the incidents of this story happened all dogs could talk. Then language was very primitive, but as the dog has for nearly all time been a friend of man and his companion, each learned the language of the other, as does man when associating with a people speaking another language.
The dog, being also the most sociable of all animals, learned that man could hunt with more skill when in quest of food, and before he became his companion, would follow on his trail and devour the meat discarded by him. When the dog found man a kindly being, he would join in the hunt, each finding the other helpful. Man found the dog had more highly developed the instinct for location, and that his sense of smell and his hearing were more acute, combining also the pleasure he enjoyed in associating with man rather than with his own kind. So man and dog became fast and enduring friends, and as some one has said of the latter, “the most intimate and companionable comrade for man of all the kingdom of animals.”
So Nudi and his dog, Happy, would wander off to the mountains in search of game, and fish the waters for trout so plentiful in the dark, winding streams that came down with such a rush from the upper reaches of the mighty mountain that Nudi called “The Giant.”
Sometimes they would have much to say, sometimes little. Happy would always consider the moods of Nudi—if he was not disposed to talk, she would run along beside him if the path was wide, and if not, follow at his heels in silence.
There was something Happy had for a long time wanted to tell Nudi, about his daughter, but she would always hesitate, for she felt that perhaps it would not be right as it was natural for all creatures to love some one. Neti was very beautiful; she had many young braves who admired her, and she was very fond of their wooing, as she was also fond of the pretty trinkets they would bestow upon her. But the youth Neti liked the most, her father did not favor, so, unknown to him, she would go for long walks with her lover, and Happy knew, as she had followed them, that he had kissed her and said to her words of affection which Neti liked, even though she blushed and had taken her hand from his.
One day, trailing a bear, Happy told all she knew of Neti’s romance. This vexed the father, so he threatened not to allow Neti to go more than twenty paces from the lodge, and to take from her all the baubles she had received from her admirers, this being the most severe punishment he could inflict. He also went to Tiki, the Shaman of the tribe, and asked him to make medicine and bring upon the lover some evil.
“No,” said the Shaman, “It is not upon the young brave, but upon your dog that I shall bring punishment.”
“No, no!” said Nudi, “My dog is my friend. You shall not bring upon her any misfortune!”
“Yes,” said Tiki, “she has told that which she should not. We cannot ourselves judge of another’s affection. We must choose according to the dictates of our own hearts.”
So the Medicine Man used his powers so that dogs could never talk again; but left them the capacity to understand the language of all mankind. Though he took from all dogs the power of speech, he left to them fidelity, patience, and affection, and made them so nearly human that many who have loved them mourn their loss almost as much as one of their own kind. For has not the dog much of human intelligence with none of man’s conceit, hypocrisy or ingratitude? Does he not cling to his master no matter how humble may be his lot or how spare may be his meal? He will even forgive those who abuse and neglect him. No matter what may be the adversity that befalls those around him, he is still their loyal, clinging friend.
What an object-lesson is this patient, trusting creature that shares man’s companionship, a companionship that if broken by the loss of the master, has sometimes ended in the death of man’s best and truest friend.