Canine Wisdom, according to Beo and Wulf

[Martin lePower]

On Human Anatomy

Canine Wisdom, according to Beo and Wulf

The time was in the evening, before the alarm bell sounded for the Fired Burning:

It was in the Engineer’s home where Aegraine hosted a fine dinner for Dmitrii and her father Martin. The serving woman cooked an elaborate but plain stew and bread, enough to fill them all and cap a long day of work. While Dora dozed on her chair, apron wrapped over her hands, the elder Martin collapsed upon a lone leather chair in the room, his boots parked atop a crate. Nearby, Ae and Dmi rested on a wide high backed wooden bench, not quite out of view of her father and chaperone, whispering and exchanging little kisses. The two half Irish wolf hounds missed nothing; they saw and commented to each other about everything, especially their human friends.

“Human bodies are so strange. Men cannot run and need the speed of horses to get their way in a hurry. There do their malformed short limbs they call arms come into use. To hold horse reins.” Beo pronounced in his yawning voice, that human kind has yet to translate.”

“The trouble humans got is they have only two legs to run on; that is why they need horses to help them run. “ Wulf repeated the thought. “Heh! Horses are so dumb. They do not put reins us do they?” His gaffaw was almost noticeable to the old man feigning sleep, there in his chair.

“Humans be awkward, like chickens on them two legs. And they are dim when it comes to breeding, not like us, eh brother?” Beo rolled his eyes.

“Not like us; did you notice that fine golden Andrea? I say we go courting’ her way, when the season is right, eh, Wulf?”

“Good idea; how may pups you think that one will get? Six? Ten or so? Before long, all the dogs in town will have the print of us, right brother? “ A snicker nearly choked Wulf. His brother was so funny!

Beo yawned and the firelight sparkled on his sharp white teeth, half wolf hound or more, he was nearing full growth, tall of limb and fast enough to keep up with horses; faster than wolves on the run.

"Eight, I think.” Wulf was thinking of the lovely silky coated Andrea. She was almost their size, tall and lovely.

“Not Andrea! The human, her our rescuer; how may pups will she get once her and the man mate?”

Wulf made a sound that even a human could recoginze as laughter. “Her? If they ever figure out about mating? Maybe one or two. I watched her bathe; humans only got places to feed two at most.”


“Only Two? What do humans do if they get more than two? Leave them at the side of the road like they did us? “ Beo still resented being discarded like garbage, like offal. He got steamed just thinking about it.

“I suppose they give away the runt, if they get too many. Most just get the one. I think that is because they go about their mating too slow. They be not good at it, once they figure out how to, ye know? “ Wulf sniffed at the air coming from Martin’s work boots. It was not related to the subject; he did it in a matter of course, like breathing.

“Look at the pair; they are nose to nose again, touching lips like they do. “ Beo’s ears flicked up at attention.

Both of the dogs sblack personed and shook their shaggy heads. “ I do not think they have the slightest notion of what to do; they be that young?”

“They be young. But most humans are like that pair, her and him. Slow and not knowing what to do first.”

“Heh! Humans! Such awkward bodies and then they do not even know which end to sniff; that be the truth.”

“Aye, brother, Tis a miracle they do not die out totally from lack of production.”

“Speaking of production….the scent is on the wind, you can tell? “ Both brother dogs sniffed a subtle odor born on the wind. Attractive! Hot!

Wulf whispered, to his brother, “Soon as the door opens next, we are out of here! We got a date with a female!”

“Yes, and unlike the human kinds, we know what to do!” Beo slid his gaze to the side, careful that the humans did not suspect the brothers were about to bolt into the dark city streets.

“Beo? You think they know the old man is faking it, he be not asleep?”

“Them? The nose to nose couple? Nope; not a clue. “

Yes dogs laugh, you have see them, haven’t you? Jaws wide open and the corners of their mouths turned up. This is why dogs are so loyal and live with humans; human anatomy and customs make them laugh.

Martin was thinking about what appeared to be communication between Aegraine’s pet dogs, when a bell struck. The fire Alarm pattern! Aegraine stuffed a hat over her hair and pulled on her boots on the run. Dmi opened the door and the pair of them ran to report to their posts; so did the two dogs run, to their hoped for appointment with genetic history.

Beo and Wulf had hoped to make their lesson longer and more detailed, concerning human anatomy but first things, first? This is why the dog race will not die out.

Next to come: The world according to Beo and Wulf; more Canine words to the wise.

[Martin lePower]

Jan. 1333
Canine Wisdom by Beo and Wulf

On Aging

The pair of mostly Irish wolf hound mix breed coach dogs lolled at the hearth fire at a local Inn. Dmitrii, Aegraine and Martin had traveled to a nearby village for a funeral of one of Martin’s friend of his youth.

Beo yawned and his jaw crackled, little pain like pin sticks in his right for paw gave him reason to take rest this evening. “The dead man was just bones with skin painted over. He did not even smell real.”

“Huh?” Wulf sniffed at the strange inn’s innate aroma, one of damp ancient timbers and boots that
tracked muck off the stable floor into the inn proper. “ He did not seem like a real man? He is a replica? Did they stuff him like a hunt trophy, then brother? Who hunt him down. Not me. No reason; he was not enough meat to make a good stew broth with.” Wulf had taken to drinking beef broth to aid his digestion. A chipped tooth was hurting him bad.

“Naye. He got old. Older than the woman’s sire there. People get old in a pattern. First females do not foal their one little hairless babes anymore and then they bloat and go white haired and crumple up like old flowers before the first frost. Dry and useless.” He was thinking about the past now.
"How grand it was once, eh? We ran with the best of the females. You can see the stamp of our looks on many of the best coach dogs in town. We have heritage.” Beo got off track a bit.

“Old men get toothless and bald. I see it all the time.” Wulf was not to be left out, for he considered his wisdom as good as Beo’s. “Old men do not have a rump. They get flat on the back end and their trousers hang like no one is in them. “ He shook his shaggy head and scratched on ear, lest it be a flea there.

“Humans. The women sag . Their jowls hang loose but their talk keeps on at a pace.” Beo rolled his head about for the collar Ae had put on him chafed.

“Now take us for instance.” Beo had pride in his breed. “Coach dogs are young in all stages of life. Yes. I assure that. We will not grow old before we die. We may fade away, but we do not get old.”

Wulf looked into the hearth fire and watched bits of bark aglow filter up and into the darkness of the soot lined chimney. “We fade, perhaps. But like humans, we die. Life only goes on so long.”

Then there was a clang and the cook was out in the alleyway dumping meat scraps onto the garbage pile.

“Do you hear that Beo?” Wulf’s ears pricked up like a young pup.

“Yes! Last one to the food is a human!” Beo choked as he guaffed at his own joke. They both raced to feed.

Time was passing for the canine brothers, over five years old at this time. Is this old? I cannot say, even they do not know.

[Martin lePower]

WOLVES in CLOTHING

Another sage comment from the Canine Wisdom Duo


“I will bet you a bowl of beef that the humans of Turas Lan are wolves, and I can prove it.” Beo licked his right paw, as it still smelled like the chunk of roast the master had tossed to him. "Wolves in clothing."

“How can you tell?” Wulf settled his muzzle between his fore paws and yawned.

"For one thing, there is the Alpha Pair.” He meant Adam and Beathag, but did not know their names. “ They have many young. I cannot count them all, but more than four. I think. “ Beo mused. “More than I have paws!”

“And look at our owner. See? No human pups. Only the Alpha pair get pups. They are wolves. I tell you. Our owner’s man. His sister, his cousin…no young. Like the wolf packs. I imagine at the full moon they all go running wild and free in the forest! If they would only unchain us, I would prove it to you.” Beo went on with his proof. “You could watch as they nod heads and bow to the Alphas! Tis true. I seen it many times.”

Wulf tossed his shaggy head, irritated by the collar he wore. “We might not be chained if we had not run into the house that time. But the roast beef was worth it! Almost done and ours for the snatching!”

"So now how will we get out and run? And if we do, like our blood calls us to do; kill wolves, will we annihilate the town leadership?” Beo pondered the thought. “ I suspect they change forms in some time of the moon. I hear their calls out the windows at night.“ Can dogs roll their eyes? If so, Beo did just that.

"The owner is not running out with us in the morning, Wulf. I can hear her from the stables, I can smell it. She is sick. Perhaps she will die and hack us back to the wilds, like she did the falcon last season?

"Sick is she? All the day or just in the morn?” Wulf pricked up his ears, as if something clicked. “Humans get sick from carrying a pup. Do you think it is that or does she drink the whiskey too much? Lots of their kind do that. I seen them in the town, at their watering sheds.” Hanging too close to a tavern got the brothers chased off many a night.

“Next time we see the owners, let us make sad puppy faces. We show them we are sorry for what we did. Practice. See, yes! That’s it! We will get our freedom once more. “

“Wulf? Perhaps they are not wolves after all. Hark. I really do smell wolf at the edge of the forest, out beyond the lake.” Beo held his nose to a particular scent trailing through the night air.

“ Aye. I smell them, too.” Instinct told them to break free and do what they were born to do. Eradicate wolves. But it was strong blacksmith made chain that bound them, so there was nothing to do but bark incessantly. Wolves howled back. The pack moved closer, heads lowered and pale green-gold eyes glittering in what light was left.

“Stand with me brother. They can get into the stable but we cannot let them near our cousins.” So they had dubbed the horses. Troika and Alt had the scent of wolf, too and champed to get free enough to use their battle maneuvers against the pack. For a pack it was, eight gray wolves fast approached the slightly open stable door.


A young stable hand came running into the safety of a structure and dived into the hay near where Wulf was tethered. He looked at the chains and without asking, the lad undid the clasps, freeing both Wulf and Beo. The pack neared so the brothers bolted out the door, straight for the wolf pack. "Stay with the cousins!” they yipped to the serving lad, as a precaution.

But as soon as the dogs got on the scene, men were out there too, with torches and spears, to stab at the wolves without getting near. Their hand held lights gave the scene an eerie flashs of images jumping and getting ready to pounce.

The barking and growls let go into an all out scramble; wolf hound to the Alpha’s throat, wolf sharp teeth tearing at a man’s sleeve and skin too, if one heard the shriek.

From the manor house, came Martin, a sort of a short fancy decorated stick in his hand, with a wick he lit as the servants did candles. There came a boom as lightning and thunder exploded in one blast, dropping one of the wolves so fast the rest of the pack did a double take and then ran to the tall timbers of forest deep. Beo and Wulf right on their heels.

LePower Elder whistled the return signal and the dogs came back, eventually. Beo had a few snags to his fine shaggy coat and Wulf took a bite to his shoulder. The wolf got the worst of that, he would tell you.

“Come in the kitchen,” Martin gestured to the dogs, the pistol in his hand still smoking after beging shot. “ Let us get Warner to take care of those wounds.”

They were free of the chains and even got into the house that night.

“I may be not right about the Higher up rulers being Wolves, you know, Wulf?” Beo would never say the W word, wrong. Both the dogs relaxed at the kitchen hearth. “But do not count it out. Wolves are tricksey.”

“Aye to that, Brother,” Wulf laid down and ached from the wounded shoulder and the bandage on him. "Aye to that."

[Martin lePower]

OLD DOGS


“You are old, Father William,” the young man cried, “The few locks which are left you are gray; You are hale, Father William, hearty old man; - Now tell me the reason I pray.”
“In the days of my youth,” Father William replied ,”I remembered that youth could not last; I thought of the future; whatever I did. That I never might grieve for the past.”…….from ”Old Man’s Comforts” by Robert Southey


Beo stretched his paws toward the still hearth fire embers and emitted a canine style sigh.” Spring once more, eh, brother?” he remarked to his sibling, still supine and half dozing from the supper dish feast. Half Irish wolf hound and half some other coach dog, the brothers currently resided with Aegraine’s father, Martin. Three oldies in one cottage. “Eh? I suppose ‘tis spring and we ought to be out in the lanes, running wild; In the fields worrying sheep, taking a nip at their fleeces to taste the lanolin. We hunted and ate sheep for snacks , recall them days? “

Wulf shook his now very shaggy head in honor of that memory.
“Mercy! That I do!” Beo rolled on the hearth rug, in his attempt to find a more comfortable place and not lose the gentle warmth of the fire glow. “About time for the old man to let us out for our evening run, isn’t it? Look. Him still snoring there in his chair. Too much food for him; old ones need less. Not us, of course. But them. Humans. “ Beo flicked an unlucky insect off his left ear.


Sir lePower was dreaming of his glory days when he was taller, red haired and full of strength and energy. The ladies liked him. Ah yes, dreams of what is not possible now. The old man was wearing a long burgundy robe and knit slippers kept his feet toasty. A night cap of knit cotton covered his bare pate and a different kind of night cap settled well in his inards. Its drained goblet attested to that fact.

“Ought we remind him, Beo? You can go scratch at the door and then he will open it for us.” Wulf moved as little as he might. He was not so much tired as he was filled with arthritic aching joints and other little annoying pains. Age? Why of course. The dogs simply waited, watching the old man restless in his dream land, slouched in his chair.

“Aurilla?” he got up the nerve to ask his wife. “I’m going for a work assignment in London; come with me? Travel and live like we once did, as man and wife?” The scene re-ran in Martin’s dreams, exactly as it had been that afternoon. “We go to London and I have found work there.” Work, work. It was always his work.

“You come back to Waterford with me, Mart?” Aurilla spoke from behind the veil she wore as her alter identity, the Veiled Scribe. “We can work or not, deciding day by day. Isn’t this what we waited to do, while we are old now. Come back home and live out our days. Together; I would like that.” They had been apart for years and neither was growing any younger. She loved her Mart, in spite he had put castles and towers before her.

It was an old, weathered ivory color love in their memories. Grand years and the one fabulous love for each of them but it had been set aside over petty arguments and distances living apart. The two had come together in Turas Lan to be near their only child, Aegraine. Their time was running out; too late was on the horizion for the couple.
A sudden jerk and Martin awoke as a log fell into the coals and making sparks fly from the fireplace. Just as he was getting to the part of the dream where Aurilla was about to answer him. “What the..?”

Beo and Wulf jumped to their feet and headed to the door. Just in time before Wulf made the decision that the table leg was as good as a tree trunk and left lePower a puddle to clean up, again.

“Come then troops.” He called the canine corps. “Out you go. Quick before it rains.” The dogs were old; they’d come in smelling like any wet dog does and shaking their coats over the hearth rug.

Now Martin was awake. Old man awake and not able to go back to sleep. He had to convince Aurilla to come to London with him. This might be his last chance for work. His last chance to get back with his beloved wife. Before it was too late. Yes, he had thought about being old and provided it financially. But it happened so fast! Old and no road back. He knew what had to be done.

[Martin lePower]

The Herd Incereases.

At the present time, mid summer of 1333, the aging coach dogs are residing at Lake Manor, home of Dmitrii and Aegraine Zurban. Still alert as ever of the conditions of human life, which is their long time subject of interest, the dogs discuss a current observation and ponder how it will change their lives.

“Did you catch the scent, Wulf?” loping like a puppy the middle aged mostly Irish setter caught up with his brother and snapped at a butterfly, just to see how fast it could fly. “I think there be an increase in the Zurban herd, before long. Well, it does take humans so long. Had you noticed?”

“What?” Wulf shook his shaggy ears and blinked, for he had not understood one yip that Beo said. “I was looking at the horizon, in case there come a storm. Thunder makes me jumpy.” It was feeling the air vibrations but not hearing the rumble of thunder that bothered Wulf the most when it stormed. Going deaf was a real hardship for a coach dog like him, depending on whistle signals, with arm directions not always employed by drivers or the hunters.

“Baby, Wulf. They be getting a child.” Beo turned his snout to Wulf and made certain his brother caught the motion that went with his yips.

“Good Lord! A child! Fat grubby fingers sticky with honey grabbing at our coats! Stuffing cakes in our mouths and sweetmeats in our ears!” They both shuddered at the thought. “And we will have to put up with anything the human pup does to us! The indignities! The horror!”

“A child will pry open our lips to show off the sharp teeth, soon as it learns the word.” Beo had a chipped tooth which bothered him when the weather was damp and cold, much like it gave him shooting pains in his right forepaw, the one that got wolf bit, five years ago.

“Although, once there is a child, it will want us in the house to play, every day and maybe even sleep in its room? Like two big shaggy rugs, before a warm nursery room fire, for they keep their cubs in cozy quarters, especially in winter. I am ready to live indoors, aren’t you Beo?”

"Yep. I am ready for the easy life.”

Wulf watched the butterflies in the field of daisies where they roamed, too tired to chase even a slow fluttering yellow insect. Both brothers laid down in the wildflowers and slept in the noontime sun, like old codgers.

Can it be old age is looming nearby, ready to sit upon the canine brothers like a lead balloon? Time passes for us all, so much faster when one has a short life span.