The Grateful Dog by Pu Songling
After a trader buys a dog from a butcher, his boatman robs him and throws him into the river wrapped in a carpet. The dog keeps him afloat and attracts people who rescue him, then later leads him to the disguised boatman at Wu-hu. The robber is arrested and the trader's money recovered.
By Pu Songling · Genre: Animal Stories, Short Story, Moral Tale · 590 words
First lines
A certain trader who had been doing business at Wu-hu and was returning home with the large profits he had made, saw on the river bank a butcher tying up a dog.[1] He bought the animal for much more than its value, and carried it along with him in his boat. Now the boatman had formerly been a bandit; and, tempted by his passenger's wealth, ran the boat among the rushes, and, drawing a knife, prepared to slay him. The trader begged the man to leave him a whole skin; [2] so the boatman wrapped him up in a carpet and threw him into the river. The dog, on seeing what was done, whined piteously, and jumping into the river, seized the bundle with his teeth and did its best to keep the trader above water until at length a shallow spot was reached. The animal then succeeded by continuous barking in attracting the attention of some people on the bank, and they hauled the bundle out of the river, and released the trader who was still alive. The latter asked to be taken back to Wu-hu where he might look out for the robber boatman; but just as he was about to start, lo! the dog was missing. The trader was much distressed at this; and after spending some days at Wu-hu without being able to find, among the forest of masts collected there, the particular boat he wanted, he was on the point of returning home with a friend, when suddenly the dog re-appeared and seemed by its barking to invite its master to follow in a certain direction. This the trader did, until at length the dog jumped on a boat and seized one of the boatmen by the leg. No beating could make the animal let go; and on looking closely at the man, the trader saw he was the identical boatman who had robbed and tried to murder him. He had changed his clothes and also his boat, so that at first he was not recognisable; he was now, however, arrested, and the whole of the money was found in his boat. To think that a dog could show gratitude like that! Truly there are not a few persons who would be put to shame by that faithful animal.[3]
Genres
- Animal Stories — The dog's rescue of the trader and recognition of his attacker drive the story.
- Short Story — A brief prose narrative follows a trader's rescue and the subsequent capture of the boatman who attacked him.
- Moral Tale — The closing comment contrasts the dog's gratitude and fidelity with the conduct of people who would be shamed by it.
Tags
dogs · animal gratitude · river rescue · robbery · attempted murder
What this Textopian page supports
The Grateful Dog is listed on Textopian as a short story by Pu Songling, dated Date unknown.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Pu Songling
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Animal Stories, Short Story, Moral Tale
- Length: 590 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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