When God created the world, He made the birds of the sky, and the beasts of
the forest, and the fish of the sea, and then He created humans. And when
He created humans, He showed them all of Creation, and gave to them
dominion over all creatures-over all the birds, the beasts, and the fish.
He then called all of his Creation to Him so that He could look over it,
and He saw that it was good.
But not all of Creation thought so. The whales came to Him and said,"Lord, we love what You have made for us, but we cannot see the reason that You would make humans to have dominion over us. After all, they were made last, and they are small-they cannot swim quickly or stay underwater for a long time-nor can they sing in the manner You have given us to sing. We do not think that they should be held over us."
Seeing this, the eagles came to God and said, "Lord, we agree with the whales. These humans are clumsy, and bound to the earth on skinny feet. They have no glossy feathers-their eyes are weak-they cannot soar above the mountains in the manner You have given us to soar. We do not think they should be held over us."
Likewise came the bears to God, and said, "Lord, we think the whales and eagles are right. Humans are small, and cannot fell trees with their paws- they have no fur and cannot roar-and they cannot stand the cold weather and far reaches in the manner You have given us to stand them. We do not think they should be held over us."
So God said to Creation, "I will not rescind the Command I Made, that humans have dominion over Creation. But you, the eagles, the bears, the whales, and all of those who claim the deep, far, high places as your homes, I will Say this: henceforth you and humans will be wary of each other, and perhaps fight one another, but always they will have final say in your lives; likewise, you might go your entire lives without seeing a human, or indeed forget that they even exist. So get you now to the mountaintops, the deserts, the deep oceans and the dense forests, and live your lives without the humans-but do not forget what I Have Said."
So the animals of the wild went their ways-bears and eagles, whales and walruses, cougars and lions, lizards and snakes, and all manner of creatures with which humans still compete for land and still fight with, for these animals are always wild and proud.
After the animals of the wild had gone, the horses came to God and said, "Lord, we love all that You have made for us, and we agree that we should work with the humans, for their natures are the same as ours. But they are small and slow-they must live inside houses and huts-they do not eat what we eat. We are willing to work with them, but wonder if dominion over us is wise for them."
Seeing this, the chickens came to God and said, "We agree with the horses, for the humans protect our flocks well. But they are large and worldly-they do not lay eggs-they do not know the goodness of scratching and pecking. Can they truly master the hen yard and rule the roost?"
Likewise the cattle came to God and said, "We agree with the chickens, for the humans are good herd masters. But they are distracted and busy-their natures are different from ours-they do not move in herds like us. Can they be good masters over us?"
So God said to Creation, "I Stand by what I Said about the dominion of humans, but to you, the beasts of the fields and meadows and hillsides, I Say-the humans will be your herd masters, and you will be their partners, forevermore working together on their farms and fields and orchards. You will live with your herds and flocks but always under them, and they will care for you as workers, but leave your lives up to you. So get you now to the fields and forests, the meadows and hillsides, the valleys and plains- but do not forget What I Have Said."
So the animals of the herd went their ways-cattle and horses, sheep and llamas, chickens and ducks and geese-and all manner of creatures with whom the humans work and toil and labor alongside as partners, for these animals accepted some of the humans' authority, but still live their own lives.
And so God looked, and saw that two animals remained with the humans: the cat and the dog. And the cat said to God, "I love the humans that feed and pet me and make much of me, for I am an excellent species of Your Creation, and so I will allow them to have dominion over me, so long as I may sleep when and where I please, and be petted, and not have to work."
And so God Agreed, because the cat was a notoriously hard animal to make happy. Then God turned to the dog and said, "Well, what about you?"
And the dog said, "Lord, I love the humans no matter what they do. I will watch for them and protect them, I will work how and where they ask and do the job with all my heart, no matter what it is. I will hunt with them and sleep at their door; I will protect their children and guard their flocks and herds. They do not need to pet me or feed me, but I will love them all the more if they do. Because You Ordered it so I will serve them faithfully all my life, and even should they have to decide my life and death I will give it to them gratefully, because I love them."
To the dog God said, "Blessed are you among the animals! You alone have heeded My Order without hesitation, and so I will Make a special place for you in Heaven, alongside the humans you serve and love, that your reward may be the same as theirs when your good life is through."
And so the humans welcomed the dog-and the cat-into their homes, and with all the other beasts of the land, birds of the sky, and fish of the sea they existed as God had said. And the dog remains their faithful companion in work and at home, and in Heaven too, for God created for them a special place alongside the humans', that when life is ended their reward is the same-for they are blessed among animals.
But not all of Creation thought so. The whales came to Him and said,"Lord, we love what You have made for us, but we cannot see the reason that You would make humans to have dominion over us. After all, they were made last, and they are small-they cannot swim quickly or stay underwater for a long time-nor can they sing in the manner You have given us to sing. We do not think that they should be held over us."
Seeing this, the eagles came to God and said, "Lord, we agree with the whales. These humans are clumsy, and bound to the earth on skinny feet. They have no glossy feathers-their eyes are weak-they cannot soar above the mountains in the manner You have given us to soar. We do not think they should be held over us."
Likewise came the bears to God, and said, "Lord, we think the whales and eagles are right. Humans are small, and cannot fell trees with their paws- they have no fur and cannot roar-and they cannot stand the cold weather and far reaches in the manner You have given us to stand them. We do not think they should be held over us."
So God said to Creation, "I will not rescind the Command I Made, that humans have dominion over Creation. But you, the eagles, the bears, the whales, and all of those who claim the deep, far, high places as your homes, I will Say this: henceforth you and humans will be wary of each other, and perhaps fight one another, but always they will have final say in your lives; likewise, you might go your entire lives without seeing a human, or indeed forget that they even exist. So get you now to the mountaintops, the deserts, the deep oceans and the dense forests, and live your lives without the humans-but do not forget what I Have Said."
So the animals of the wild went their ways-bears and eagles, whales and walruses, cougars and lions, lizards and snakes, and all manner of creatures with which humans still compete for land and still fight with, for these animals are always wild and proud.
After the animals of the wild had gone, the horses came to God and said, "Lord, we love all that You have made for us, and we agree that we should work with the humans, for their natures are the same as ours. But they are small and slow-they must live inside houses and huts-they do not eat what we eat. We are willing to work with them, but wonder if dominion over us is wise for them."
Seeing this, the chickens came to God and said, "We agree with the horses, for the humans protect our flocks well. But they are large and worldly-they do not lay eggs-they do not know the goodness of scratching and pecking. Can they truly master the hen yard and rule the roost?"
Likewise the cattle came to God and said, "We agree with the chickens, for the humans are good herd masters. But they are distracted and busy-their natures are different from ours-they do not move in herds like us. Can they be good masters over us?"
So God said to Creation, "I Stand by what I Said about the dominion of humans, but to you, the beasts of the fields and meadows and hillsides, I Say-the humans will be your herd masters, and you will be their partners, forevermore working together on their farms and fields and orchards. You will live with your herds and flocks but always under them, and they will care for you as workers, but leave your lives up to you. So get you now to the fields and forests, the meadows and hillsides, the valleys and plains- but do not forget What I Have Said."
So the animals of the herd went their ways-cattle and horses, sheep and llamas, chickens and ducks and geese-and all manner of creatures with whom the humans work and toil and labor alongside as partners, for these animals accepted some of the humans' authority, but still live their own lives.
And so God looked, and saw that two animals remained with the humans: the cat and the dog. And the cat said to God, "I love the humans that feed and pet me and make much of me, for I am an excellent species of Your Creation, and so I will allow them to have dominion over me, so long as I may sleep when and where I please, and be petted, and not have to work."
And so God Agreed, because the cat was a notoriously hard animal to make happy. Then God turned to the dog and said, "Well, what about you?"
And the dog said, "Lord, I love the humans no matter what they do. I will watch for them and protect them, I will work how and where they ask and do the job with all my heart, no matter what it is. I will hunt with them and sleep at their door; I will protect their children and guard their flocks and herds. They do not need to pet me or feed me, but I will love them all the more if they do. Because You Ordered it so I will serve them faithfully all my life, and even should they have to decide my life and death I will give it to them gratefully, because I love them."
To the dog God said, "Blessed are you among the animals! You alone have heeded My Order without hesitation, and so I will Make a special place for you in Heaven, alongside the humans you serve and love, that your reward may be the same as theirs when your good life is through."
And so the humans welcomed the dog-and the cat-into their homes, and with all the other beasts of the land, birds of the sky, and fish of the sea they existed as God had said. And the dog remains their faithful companion in work and at home, and in Heaven too, for God created for them a special place alongside the humans', that when life is ended their reward is the same-for they are blessed among animals.