Canis and Man

Many wonder if our best friend the dog could once talk to us and even write. This was true for the first of the dogs. His name was Canis, a smart and loyal animal. He would stand with the first of men and talk to them, it is he who first taught us to read and write, he even taught us our first words. Canis was given his gift by the higher gods before man was even created, but he was lonely. His children could only understand few of his words, the gods saw this and gave him a child. One who could learn his words and use them to teach others. Canis was grateful for what the gods had given him and taught the child everything he knew as fast as he could. He named the child Man.

Over time Canis learned himself how fast Man could learn and he found that he had to pace himself so Man could learn all the information that Canis had to teach and have it stay in his head. As the years went by Canis taught Man not just how to read and write but how talk and how to hunt. He taught the boy how to fend for himself if anything was to ever go wrong. Man never complained to Canis about anything, but over time Man grew lonely, wrapped in his own happiness it took Canis years to see that man was not happy and one day asked him what was wrong. "Man you seem so sad," Canis said. 'What ever is wrong?"

"Canis you remember how you were lonely before I came along correct," Man answered.

"Yes I remember. Those where the harder years for me."

"Well that is how I am feeling now, but in a different way. With all my sisters I feel nothing, just the love of sisters not anything more. I want to feel companionship with someone more like me."

" I see Man. Why don't you speak to the gods, they may help you as they have helped me, and do this thing with my blessing."

"But Canis I do not know where I can speak to the gods, and have them hear my plea. I have prayed many nights and still they do not hear. Where can I go?"

"There is only one place you can truly go to have them hear you as clearly as you wish. The trip is long and hard and you should do this only if it is what you really want."

"Canis this is most certainly what I want."

"Then, if you are sure, you will want to take to the south and once you reach the mountains that block your way go east until you find a tunnel cut into the rocks. The tunnel will slowly become steeper and steeper till you feel that you will fall. I warn you do not stop at this point or the trip will have been for nothing. Now once the tunnel opens you will find yourself on top of a flattened off mountain. It is there that you will stop and pray for 3 days. You will pray during day light hours only and rest at night. On the fourth morning the gods will either send you away or grant your wish. Now if you do not follow these directions and do not waver from them you will get your wish. Do not be temped by any other thing on your journey and if you do not follow the gods directions something that you cherish so much will be taken from you. Don't worry, it will not be your gift but something of greater value. Do you understand these instructions?"

"Yes I understand them."

"Good. Now this journey you will take may seem to take a few months to complete but time will move more quickly to everyone else. You must not give up and I will send you with enough food to last the journey. I will miss you when you are gone, but you will not miss me. Don't fight me on the matter, but it will be true. Now you rest while I go prepare."

While Man rested for his long journey Canis went to have Mans meals prepared and then prayed to the gods. "O Mighty gods please protect Man while he is on this great journey. Show him no pain or gilt to what he might to do to hurt me. He is still young and doesn't know your ways in full. Grant his wish with no cost to him but charge me instead. Please do this thing for me and I will be eternally loyal to Man and all that follow him and to you as well, if you must also take my children's and my own gift from us. Thank you my mighty gods."

The following day Man set out after saying good by to Canis with food and compass in hand he walked away. Canis whispered behind him, "Good bye my trusted friend for you may never hear my voice again, so please remember my voice." Man continued on his journey without noticing anything was wrong. He only saw the happiness that he had for what was to come. He followed Canis advice going south till he hit the mountains which only took him two months, then traveled east what seemed only a week. He found the tunnel on the seventh day and started to travel upward. It seemed like Man had traveled for hours when he finally felt like he could travel no more. The tunnel had grown so steep that man had to crawl on his knees and when he felt like giving up he remembered Canis' words to not give up. It gave him strength. He did not realize until he had gotten to the top that he had not thought of his friend until that moment but once he remembered that fact it was gone. For Man was mesmerized by the sight.

The valley below was one of the greatest sights he had ever seen, remembering what he was there to do Man prayed until the sun set rested at night and prayed like this for the next two days. On the morning of the fourth day he awoke to see a strange figure kneeling over him. It was a sight that he never saw before. It had many features like himself, but others were not the same. All the creature could do is point to its self and say "Woman". Man was so happy that the gods had granted his wish that he did the same that Canis had first taught him to do. And that was walk. Once he could see that Woman could walk without much help he helped her down the tunnel. Man was so happy he did not see that the trip though the tunnel was so much easier going down than it was going up. Once out of the tunnel the trip home only took a few days.

When man first saw his home in sight he sat Woman down and ran into his and Canis' cave. When he spotted Canis he went to speak to his old friend but all Canis did was make a strange noise back. With a confused look on his face Man looked around the cave to find a piece of parchment on the cave floor:

"My dearest man you may have not realized it but I can no longer speak. I will understand any word you speak to me but you will not understand me. I will not be able to write to you anymore after this note is written. Many years have passed and I can already feel the change upon me. I will be loyal to you and your Woman for the rest of my life and so will my children and their children's children. Do not feel sad for me, for this is my last small gift for you. I will do many great things for you over time, but if you want to repay me please just live out your life and teach others what I have taught you. I will miss our words.

Your friend,

Canis"

After reading the last words Man finally understood what Canis had done for him and lived out the rest of his life with Canis by his side. Man and Woman had many children in which they passed all that knew on. Over time Canis' sacrifice was forgotten, but his memory lives on in Mans best friend. Canis' name became Canine over the years and finally dog. Canis' promise still lives on and all his children are still loyal today, they can understand us. But our ears are deaf to their silent words. And that my friend is how our greatest friends lost the ability to read, write and talk.