The poor shepherd for many hours sought his child among the
treacherous swamps, the roaring cataracts and the steep precipices.
No little boy, no faithful dog could he see or hear. At length,
night came on, and the wretched father had to return to his cottage,
and to the mother of his child, and say the sad words, "He is lost.
My faithful dog is gone too, or he might help me find the boy."
That was a sad night for the poor cottagers. At break of day, the
shepherd, with his wife and his neighbors, set out to look for the
child. They searched all day long, in every place where it seemed
possible that lie could be, but all in vain. No little boy could
they find. The night came on, and again the poor shepherd and his
wife came home without their child.
On their return home, they found that the dog had been there; and,
on receiving a piece of oatmeal cake, had instantly gone off with
it. The next day and the day after, the shepherd renewed the search
for his child. On each day when they returned, they heard that the
dog had been to the house, taken his piece of cake, and immediately
disappeared. The shepherd determined to stay at home the next day
and watch his dog. He had a hope in his heart that the dog would
lead him to his child.
The dog came the next day, at the same hour, took his piece of cake,
and ran off.
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