Week 4 Story: Sancus and the Dog

Author's note: This is a retelling of Mercury and the Woodman from Aesop (Winter) Part B. The Aesop is a collection of short children's stories that are all followed by a lesson to be learned. The purpose of the story is to show that honesty is the best policy. Mercury is the God of merchants and in the originally story a Woodman ask him to return an axe he has lost in a river. In my story I changed the characters to Sancus, the God of honesty, and Dog. Both the Dog and the Woodman loose something, and are rewarded by their honesty. 

(Dog and the Bone: by Creative Commons)

Once there was a Dog who was gnawing on his bone under a big shady tree. As he continued to gnaw, he grew thirsty and he and his bone went to a nearby river. When he set down the bone to take a drink, the bone fell into the river. The Dog whined and howled to Sancus. Sancus heard these whines and howls and emerged over the river. 

"I will do anything for you to return my bone Sancus."

"No fear Dog, I shall return you your bone from the depths of the river."

Sancus dived into the river and pulled out a gold bone.

"Is this your bone Dog?"

"No it is not, I cannot claim such a fine bone."

Sancus set the bone at the dog's paws and dived back into the river. Sancus pulled out a silver bone. 

"Is this your bone Dog?"

"No it is not, I cannot claim such a fine bone."

Again Sancus set the bone at the dog's paws and dived back into the river. Sancus pulled out the dog's bone. 

"Is this your bone Dog?"

"Yes Sancus, thank you so much, I am forever grateful."

The Dog picked up the bone and began to walk away.

"Dog, please take all three bones. It is a gift for your honesty."

"Thank you Sancus, I do not deserve them, but I shall do as you say and be infinitely grateful"

The Dog went back under the big shady tree with his three bones. Several other dogs passed the Dog and asked where he found such fine bones.

The Dog would respond to every dog the same. "I was gifted these bones by Sancus when I dropped my old bone in the river."

Many dogs went to the river that day and dropped their bones in the river. There whined and howled to Sancus. Sancus heard these whines and howls and emerged over the river. 

"Great Sancus, I will do anything to have by bone back" 

"No fear, I shall return your bone from the depths of the river" 

Sancus would dive into the river and pull out the gold bone. He would ask if this was their bone and they would confirm it was indeed. 

"This is no bone of yours, you lie and have broken my trust."

Sancus would then disappear again and again and take the gold bone. He never returned any bone from the many dogs. All the dogs passed by the Dog's large shade tree empty handed and filled with anger and sadness.

Always be honest 

Bibliography:

The Aesop For Children: Winter, translated by unknown, located from UN-Textbook.