How Animals Talk 



Just to take a walk with your dog may be a 

 revelation to you, as most simple matters are when 

 you dare to view them for yourself without 

 prejudice. In fact, what is any revelation or dis- 

 covery but seeing things as they are? This daily 

 walk over familiar ground, which bores you be- 

 cause you must take it for exercise, leaving out of 

 it the fun which is the essential element of any 

 exercise, is to your dog another joyous and ex- 

 pectant exploration of the Indes. He explored 

 the same ground yesterday, to be sure, but all 

 sorts of revolutions and migrations take place over- 

 night ; and if he be a real dog, not a spoiled pet, 

 he will uncover more surprises on the familiar road 

 than you uncover in the morning newspaper. 

 Follow him sympathetically as he finds endlessly 

 interesting things where you find little but bore- 

 dom, and you may learn that there are three 

 marked differences between you and a normal 

 animal: first, that he keeps the spirit of play, 

 which you have well-nigh lost; second, that he 

 lives in his sensations and is happy, while you 

 dwell mostly in your thoughts and postpone hap- 

 piness for the future; and third, that he is alive 

 now, every moment, and you used to be alive the 

 day before yesterday. 



In all this you are simply typical of our un- 

 natural civilization, which begins to enumerate or 



[40] 



