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How the Dog Became Man's Best Friend

1. The dog was once wild and free but decided he wanted a strong master to serve. He first chose a wolf as his master but left when the wolf was afraid of a bear. 2. The dog then asked the bear to be his master but left when the bear was afraid of a lion. The dog served the lion faithfully for a long time as there was no stronger beast. 3. One day, the lion was afraid of a man. Realizing man was stronger than any beast, the dog made man his permanent master, and dogs have remained loyal companions to humans ever since.

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Sahil Chaudhary
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
36 views10 pages

How the Dog Became Man's Best Friend

1. The dog was once wild and free but decided he wanted a strong master to serve. He first chose a wolf as his master but left when the wolf was afraid of a bear. 2. The dog then asked the bear to be his master but left when the bear was afraid of a lion. The dog served the lion faithfully for a long time as there was no stronger beast. 3. One day, the lion was afraid of a man. Realizing man was stronger than any beast, the dog made man his permanent master, and dogs have remained loyal companions to humans ever since.

Uploaded by

Sahil Chaudhary
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

HOW THE DOG FOUND HIMSELF A NEW MASTER!

17

Before
Befor ead
e you rread
2
You may know that the dog and the wolf are
closely related. You may also know something
about how over the centuries, human beings have
domesticated and tamed wild animals. Here is a
story about how the dog became a tame animal.

How the Dog Found


Himself a New Master!

1. DOGS were once their own masters and


lived the way wolves do, in freedom,
until a dog was born who was ill pleased ill pleased: (old-
fashioned way of
with this way of life. He was sick and saying) not happy
tired of wandering about by himself

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18 HONEYSUCKLE

looking for food and being frightened


of those who were stronger than he.
2. He thought it over and decided that
the best thing for him to do was to
become the servant of one who was
stronger than anyone on earth, and he
set out to find such a master.
3. He walked and he walked and he met
a kinsman of his, a big wolf who was kinsman: (old-
fashioned word
as strong as he was fierce. for) a relative
“Where are you going, Dog?” the Wolf fierce: violent;
asked. frightening

“I am looking for someone to take take up service


with: become
up service with. Would you like to be the servant of
my master, Wolf?”
“I don’t see why not!” the Wolf said,
and this agreed upon, the two of them
went on together.
4. They walked and they walked, and all
of a sudden the Wolf lifted his nose,
sniffed, darted quickly off the path and darted: moved
quickly, suddenly
into the bushes and crept deeper into
the forest. The Dog was much surprised.
“What’s come over you, master?” he come over you:
affected you
asked. “What has frightened you so?”
“Can’t you see? There’s a Bear out
there, and he might eat up both of
us — you and me.”
5. Seeing that the Bear was stronger
than the Wolf, the Dog decided to take
up service with him, and he left the
Wolf and asked the Bear to be his
master. The Bear agreed to this readily

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HOW THE DOG FOUND HIMSELF A NEW MASTER! 19

and said, “Let us go and find a herd of


cows. I’ll kill a cow and then we can
both eat our fill.”
6. They walked on and soon saw a herd
of cows, but just as they were about to
come up to it they were stopped by a
terrible noise. The cows were mooing
loudly and running in a panic in
all directions.
7. The Bear looked out from behind a
tree, and then he too ran hastily deeper
into the forest.

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20 HONEYSUCKLE

“Now, why did I have to come here!”


said he to the Dog. “It is the Lion who
rules the forest in these parts.”
“The Lion? Who’s he?”
“Don’t you know? He is the strongest
beast on earth!”
“Well, then, I’ll say goodbye to you,
Bear. I want a master who is stronger
than anyone on earth!”
8. And off the Dog went to ask the Lion
to be his master.
The Lion agreed to it, and the Dog
stayed with him and served him for a
long, long time. It was a good life, and
he had nothing to complain of, for there
was no stronger beast in the forest than
the Lion, and no one dared touch the dared: to be brave
enough to do
Dog or offend him in any way. something
9. But one day the two of them were
walking side by side along a path that
ran amid bare cliffs when all of a sudden cliff: a steep, high
the Lion stopped. He gave a great roar rock (often at the
edge of the sea)
and struck the ground angrily with his
paw with such force that a hole formed
there. Then he began to back away very
quietly.
“What is it, Master, is anything
wrong?” asked the Dog, surprised.
“I smell a man coming this way,” the
Lion said. “We’d better run for it or we’ll
be in trouble.”
“Oh, well, then I’ll say goodbye to you,
Lion. I want a master who is stronger
than anyone on earth!”

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HOW THE DOG FOUND HIMSELF A NEW MASTER! 21

10. And off the Dog went to join the


man and he stayed with him and
served him faithfully. This happened
long, long ago, but to this day the dog
is man’s most loyal servant and knows
no other master.

WORKING WITH THE TEXT

A. Discuss these questions in pairs before you


write the answers.
1. Why did the dog feel the need for a master?
(1, 2)
2. Who did he first choose as his master?
Why did he leave that master? (3)
3. Who did he choose next? (5)
4. Why did he serve the Lion for a long
time? (8)
5. Who did he finally choose as his master
and why? (9, 10)
B. A summary of the story is given below. Fill in
the blanks to complete it taking appropriate
phrases from the box.

a dog stronger than anyone else


the strongest of all a wolf the bear
afraid of man his own master a lion

This is the story of —–––––—————————–, who


used to be —————————————— . He decided
to find a master —–––––––——————— . First
he found ———————————— , but the wolf

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22 HONEYSUCKLE

was afraid of –––————––——————— . The dog thought that


the bear was ————————————— . After some time the
dog met ————————————— , who seemed the strongest.
He stayed with the lion for a long time. One day he realised that
the lion was ———————––—————— . To this day, the dog
remains man’s best friend.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE


A. Each word in the box given below indicates a large number of…
For example,‘a herd of cows’ refers to many cows.
Complete each of the following phrases with a suitable word
from the box.

school fleet brood bundle bunch pack flock herd

1. a —————––—— of ships 5. a ———––———— of sticks

2. a ——————––— of flowers 6. a ——––————— of sheep

3. a ——————––— of chicks 7. a —––—————— of fish


4. a ———————–– of cattle 8. a ––——————— of wolves

B. Make nouns from the words given below by adding –ness or –


ity. (For some words we need to add just –ty, or –y.)

1. honest ————————— 7. creative ———————————--

2. kind —————————— 8. sincere ———————————--


3. cruel —————————— 9. cheerful ——————————

4. calm —————————— 10. bitter ———————————---

5. sad ——————————— 11. sensitive——————————-


6. active —————————---- 12. great ———————————----

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HOW THE DOG FOUND HIMSELF A NEW MASTER! 23

C. Wordsearch
• There are twelve words hidden in this table.
• Six can be found horizontally and the remaining six vertically.
• All of them are describing words like ‘good’, ‘happy’, etc.
• The first letters of the words are given below:

Horizontal: H R F F S G
Vertical: A W S F L Q

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24 HONEYSUCKLE

SPEAKING

Here are some points from a similar story that you might have
heard in another language. Dividing the class into two groups try
and tell the story in English. One person from each group can
speak alternately. Your teacher will help you. As you tell it, one of
you may write it down on the board.

A Mouse Maiden
l mouse changed into a girl by a magician...
l wants to marry the strongest person...
l asks whether sun or cloud stronger (why?)...
l but mountain stronger than clouds (how?)...
l but mouse stronger than mountain (how?)...
l girl asks to marry mouse, becomes a mouse again.

The Last Ride Together

There was a young man of Niger


Who went for a ride on a tiger.
They returned from their ride,
With the man inside,
And a smile on the face of the tiger.

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HOW THE DOG FOUND HIMSELF A NEW MASTER! 25

The Kite
All of us like to fly kites. Have you ever tried to fly one? Read
this poem about a kite as it flies in the sky.

How bright on the blue


Is a kite when it’s new!
With a dive and a dip
It snaps its tail
Then soars like a ship
With only a sail
As over tides
Of wind it rides,
Climbs to the crest
Of a gust and pulls,
Then seems to rest
As wind falls.
When string goes slack
You wind it back
And run until
A new breeze blows
And its wings fill
And up it goes!
How bright on the blue
Is a kite when it’s new!
But a raggeder thing
You never will see
When it flaps on a string
In the top of a tree.
HARRY BEHN

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26 HONEYSUCKLE

WORKING WITH THE POEM

1. List out the action words in the poem.


dive, dip, snaps, ——————, ——————, ———————,
——————, ——————
Find out the meanings of these words.

2. Read these lines from the poem:


Then soars like a ship
With only a sail
The movement of the tailless kite is compared to a ship with a
sail. This is called a simile. Can you suggest what or who the
following actions may be compared to?
He runs like —————————————––———
He eats like ——————————————–—–—
She sings like ————————————––——–—
It shines like ————————————–––———
It flies like ——————————————––———–
3. Try to make a kite with your friends. Collect the things required
such as colour paper/newspaper, thread, glue, a thin stick that
can be bent. After making the kite see if you can fly it.

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Common questions

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The critical turning point occurs when the lion, who was considered the strongest, expresses fear of humans. This revelation prompts the dog to seek man as his master, acknowledging man's superior power . It conveys the underlying message that humans have established themselves as the apex beings through intellect and dominance, fostering a deep, loyal bond with domestic animals like dogs .

The narrative structure presents a logical sequence of hierarchical mastery, illustrating the evolutionary aspect of domestication as a progression toward increased security and companionship. Each master's inability to protect highlights natural selection, where the dog strategically chooses to serve stronger beings until reaching humans, who signify a pivotal point in the domestic evolution of dogs .

The story showcases the dog's adaptability and intelligence by depicting its strategic evaluation of potential masters. The dog adjusts to each master's environment and identifies vulnerabilities, such as the wolf's fear of the bear and the bear's fear of the lion, which drive its decision to continually seek a more formidable protector . This adaptability demonstrates the dog's acute perception and problem-solving abilities, crucial traits in its domestication journey .

The lion's fear of humans acts as a pivotal revelation, prompting the dog to realize that man, despite lacking the raw physical power of animals, embodies unrivaled authority and intelligence. This fear indicates that humans have a commanding presence in the natural order, which influences the dog to conclude that serving humans provides the greatest security and stability . This revelation aligns with the dog's pursuit of a master who is 'stronger than anyone on earth' .

The conclusion, where the dog faithfully serves man, underscores the profound historical bond formed through mutual benefits, with the dog finding unparalleled protection and companionship . It signifies the culmination of a strategic, evolutionary process where dogs discerned humans as optimal guardians, leading to millennia of close human-canine relationships characterized by loyalty and service .

The dog's relationship progression illustrates the theme of loyalty in its persistent search for a suitable master, each time choosing to serve the next perceived stronger being. This reflects an innate desire for stability and companionship, culminating in the unwavering loyalty to humans . Despite changing masters, the dog's ultimate choice demonstrates its enduring loyalty to the one who provides protection and guidance .

The dog's journey from serving a wolf to a lion illustrates the concept of relative power through a process of elimination, where each chosen master proves weaker in the face of a greater threat. Initially, the wolf seemed strong, but his fear of the bear revealed a superior force, prompting the dog to serve the bear instead . Similarly, when the bear ran from the lion, the lion became the next master, demonstrating the hierarchy of power among these animals .

The interactions highlight a constant conflict between independence and security, as each potential master embodies a step towards relinquishing the dog's autonomy for increasing safety. Initially, roaming freely like a wild animal represents independence, but the dog's voluntary subjugation reflects an inclination towards security, seen in its continuous pursuit of a stronger master to provide protection . These choices illustrate the dog's intrinsic evaluation of long-term benefits over the transient freedom of independence.

The dog rejects the bear and lion as final masters due to their demonstrated fear of stronger beings. The bear fears the lion, and the lion fears man, each instance revealing vulnerabilities and prompting the dog to seek a master who embodies ultimate strength and supremacy, which the dog finds in humans . The dog's decisions are driven by an instinctive search for unmatched protection and authority, culminating in its allegiance to man .

The dog sought a stronger master because he was 'ill pleased' with living in freedom like wolves, constantly looking for food and fearing those stronger than himself . This decision conveys that the dog equated strength with security and loyalty, believing that serving a powerful master would protect him from harm and provide a stable life .

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