THE DOG. 133 



faithful servant conducts them to him with promptitude, 

 however great the distance. In countries infested by 

 wolves, he protects them from danger. His voice 

 generally alarms and drives off the enemy, and collects 

 the flock into a body, much better than the voice of the 

 shepherd." 



An affecting instance of the fidelity of the shepherd's 

 dog is thus mentioned by the Rev. Thomas Young : " I 

 rest upon the authority of a friend, who told it to me 

 as a facfe which he had reason to credit. It occurred 

 some years ago, in that part of Scotland which borders 

 upon England. A shepherd had driven part of his 

 flock to a neighbouring fair, leaving his dog to watch 

 the remainder during that day and the next night, ex- 

 pecting to revisit them the next morning. Unfor- 

 tunately, however, when at the fair, the shepherd forgot 

 both his dog and his sheep, and did not return home 

 till the morning of the third day. His first inquiry was, 

 whether the dog had been seen. The answer was, 

 ' No.' ' Then he must be dead,' replied the shepherd, 

 with a tone and gesture of anguish, ' for I know he was 

 too faithful to desert his charge.' He instantly repaired 

 to the heath. The dog had just sufficient strength 

 remaining to crawl to his master's feet, and express his 

 joy at his return, and almost immediately expired." 



