The Grateful Dog.

A CERTAIN trader who had been doing business at Wuhu and was returning home with the large profits he had made, saw on the river bank a butcher tying up a dog. 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; 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 Wuhu 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 Wuhu 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 reappeared 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.

義犬

周村有賈某，貿易蕪湖，獲重貲。賃舟將歸，見堤上有屠人縛犬，倍價贖之，養豢舟上。舟上固積寇也，窺客裝，蕩舟入莽，操刀欲殺。賈哀賜以全尸，盜乃以氈裹置江中。犬見之，哀嗥投水，口啣裹具，與共浮沉。流蕩不知幾里，達淺擱乃止。犬泅出，至有人處，狺狺哀吠。或以為異，從之而往，見氈束水中，引出斷其繩。客固未死，始言其情。復哀舟人，載還蕪湖，將以伺盜船之歸。登舟失犬，心甚悼焉。抵關三四日，估楫如林，而盜船不見。適有同鄉估客將攜俱歸，忽犬自來，望客大嗥，喚之卻走。客下舟趁之。犬奔上一舟，嚙人脛股，撻之不解。客近呵之，則所嚙即前盜也。衣服與舟皆易，故不得而認之矣。縛而搜之，則裹金猶在。嗚呼！一犬也，而報恩如是。世無心肝者，其亦愧此犬也夫！