The Wolf and the Dog — A Lesson in Freedom

Title: The Wolf and the Dog — A Lesson in Freedom

.BY:Khan

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It was a clear, moonlit night. The silver light washed over the forest, glimmering on the leaves and the still surface of a nearby pond. The cold wind rustled softly through the trees, carrying with it the faint cries of distant creatures. In the midst of that tranquil night, a weary, thin, and starving wolf trudged slowly through the underbrush, his ribs showing under his rough fur. He had been searching for food all day, but the forest had given him nothing—no rabbit, no fawn, not even a piece of bone.

As he wandered along a dirt path near the edge of the woods, his eyes caught sight of something strange. There, under the moonlight, came a plump, well-fed dog. His fur gleamed, his belly rounded with good meals, and he walked with the easy grace of someone who had never known hunger.

The wolf stopped, his hollow eyes fixed on the dog.

“Good evening, my friend,” said the wolf politely.

“Good evening,” replied the dog, wagging his tail.

The wolf examined him curiously and said, “Brother, forgive me if I speak too plainly, but I have never seen an animal so strong, so well-fed, so—content. I roam day and night, I hunt from dawn until midnight, yet I am starving. And you—you look as though you dine on roasted lamb every night. Tell me, what is your secret?”

The dog smiled, pleased by the compliment. He puffed out his chest proudly. “Ah, my dear friend, it is not so difficult,” he said with a confident grin. “If you do what I do, you too can live like me—without fear, without hunger, and with comfort every day.”

The wolf’s eyes lit up. “Tell me quickly,” he said eagerly. “What must I do?”

“It’s simple,” replied the dog. “You must guard the house of my master. Keep watch at night, bark at strangers, chase away thieves. That is all. Do that, and you’ll never be hungry again. You’ll sleep under a roof, you’ll have a warm fire in winter, and a full belly every night.”

The wolf’s heart leaped at the thought. He could already imagine the taste of cooked meat and the feeling of sleeping safely without the biting wind. “Brother,” he said joyfully, “I would gladly do this work. My life is full of hardship. I wander through rain and snow, and still my stomach stays empty. If I could live as you do, it would be heaven itself!”

The dog nodded cheerfully. “Then come with me,” he said. “You’ll see for yourself.”

The two walked side by side under the moonlight, talking about soft beds, warm fires, and bowls filled with food. The wolf felt lighter already, as if he were walking toward a new life.

But after a while, his eyes fell upon the dog’s neck. There, under the thick fur, was a dark, worn patch—a deep mark that looked like it had come from a rope or collar.

“What is that on your neck?” asked the wolf curiously.

The dog hesitated for a moment. “Oh, it’s nothing,” he said quickly.

The wolf frowned. “No, no. Tell me the truth. That mark—what is it?”

The dog sighed. “If you must know,” he said, “my master ties me up during the day. You see, I can be a bit fierce. So they put a collar around my neck and chain me to the wall until nightfall. When it’s dark, they unchain me, and I run freely around the yard to keep watch. When morning comes, they tie me again. But it’s a small price to pay for the comfort I enjoy. I am fed, loved, and cared for. Even the children of the house play with me and give me their leftovers.”

The wolf stopped walking.

The dog looked back and said, “Come along, my friend. What are you thinking?”

The wolf’s eyes had changed. There was a quiet fire burning in them now. He looked at the dog sadly and said, “Brother, you are indeed well-fed and happy, but your happiness has a chain around its neck. You are not free.”

The dog blinked, surprised. “Free? What use is freedom if you are starving? What good is the wild, the snow, and the wind when you have no food, no warmth?”

The wolf shook his head slowly. “You may be right,” he said softly. “But I would rather be hungry and free than full and chained. My friend, your comfort is not worth my freedom. I was born in the wild, and the wild is my kingdom. Let me go.”

Before the dog could speak another word, the wolf turned and ran—his thin legs carrying him swiftly through the dark forest. The wind howled through the trees, and the moonlight glimmered on his back. He was still hungry, still tired, but his heart beat with the fierce joy of being free.

The dog watched him disappear into the shadows and sighed. “Poor fool,” he muttered. But deep down, a small voice whispered—a voice he did not want to hear: “Perhaps he is the wise one after all.”


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Moral:

True happiness cannot live behind chains. Freedom, no matter how harsh, is worth more than comfort earned through submission.