"Hero is a wonderful dog," said a shepherd, "I have not lost a
sheep since I owned him, not one. Some foolish wolves tried to
kill him when he was a puppy, but he treated them so badly that
they have since been careful to keep out of his way."
"He is certainly a brave dog," said a neighbor, "but I think you
are foolish to keep him. He eats as much meat as a dozen small
dogs, and smaller dogs would take as good care of your sheep as
he."
"There may be something in what you say," said the shepherd. "I
have often wished that Hero ate less meat, but I should hate to
part from him."
The next day the mayor of the town rode by. "What will you take
for that dog of yours?" he asked.
"I can not spare him," said the shepherd; "he is too good a friend
to part from. His only fault is a liking for meat."
"I will give you a hundred dollars for him," said the mayor, "and
he shall have all the meat he cares to eat."
"You will not be foolish enough to refuse that offer, I hope,"
said the neighbor. "Think how much meat you will save."
"I think I shall have to let him go," replied the shepherd, slowly
and sadly.
That night Hero was taken to the mayor's house and the shepherd
received his money.
The shepherd found three curs in town to take Hero's place. He
paid nothing for them, for their owners were very glad to get rid
of them.
The next day the wolves said, "Hero is gone! Hero is gone! Now for
a feast. We do not care for those cowardly dogs."
When the new dogs saw the wolves coming, they cried out, "Let us
run," and away they all went.
When the sheep saw the wolves, they too began to run.
The shepherd was taking care of a lame lamb in a distant part of
the field. When he saw the wolves chasing his sheep, he ran toward
them; but before he could frighten the wolves away, they had
killed several sheep.
"What a fool I have been," said the shepherd, "to let my neighbor
do my thinking for me!"