Henry called ... from Artist Utopia in Massachusetts. Among other little anecdotes, he described the three-legged dog that chases people through the graveyard, persisting until he's been outrun. Ilyse thought this story would amuse Fox.
"Oh, among us dogs that's a very old tale. My Great Aunt Fido told it to me as a bedtime story when I was a puppy."
Ilyse raised an eyebrow. "Come off it, Fox -- Great Aunt Fido? Isn't that a boy dog's name?"
"Just keep in mind that it wasn't a dog who named her. There's no accounting for human folly," said Fox, who despite her lack of training, was not as dumb as she looked. "And Henry doesn't know the whole story. Let me tell you what Aunt Fido told me."
...
The three-legged dog gave vicious chase to every passerby. He could not be won over. One had no choice but to outrun his snarling, limping attack.
He liked no human save one, his master. The dog, however, disdained living in the house, staying outdoors instead to stand guard over their terrain.
His master, on the other hand, was warm, witty and generous. The neighbors paid him frequent visits, willing to race the dog to his door in order to enjoy his company. One had no choice but to like the man.
Of course, were it not for the dog, there's no telling about the man.
...
"That's the whole story?" Ilyse felt there should be more to it. "What kind of ending is that?"
"I'm glad Aunt Fido isn't around to hear you say that," Fox reprimanded. "A story never ends, you know, you just leave off telling it at some point. A dog would never ask such a question."
Ilyse was properly contrite, and took Fox for a bonus walk to make up for her human ignorance.
(c) 2010, ilyse na'omi kazar
