Sirko

There lived a dog named Sirko with one owner. When he was young, he herded the flock, guarded the yard, and caught thieves. But when he got old, his eyes became dim, his teeth fell out, and his legs became weak. One day, the owner said to his wife, "Why should we feed that old Sirko, when he's such a nuisance in our yard? I'll take him out into the field, let him live out his days there.".

The man took Sirko by the collar and led him out of the village, into a bare autumn field. He left him there and returned. Sirko sat down by the stubble, put his head on his paws, and cried like a dog — quietly, helplessly. Cold, hungry, scary.

Then a gray wolf came out of the thicket. «Why are you crying and sulking, Sirku?» The dog told the whole story - how he served his master, how he was kicked out. The wolf shook his head: «Don’t worry, friend, I will help you. And I will help myself a little, because I have long dreamed of rehabilitating myself in a human heart.».

«"And how will you help?" asks Sirko. "Listen carefully. Tomorrow your mistress will go into the field to reap with her little child. She will put the child by the border, and she herself will be behind the sickle. Then I will jump out from behind the bush, pretending to steal the child, and run with her into the field. And you rush after me, bark, and catch up. I will drop the child - pretending that you scared me. Then the masters will welcome you back into the yard.".

The next day, everything happened just like that. The hostess went to the field to reap, put the baby in a cradle by the edge of the fence. As soon as she turned around, the wolf jumped out of the bushes! He grabbed the child and rushed into the field. The woman screamed, wailed. And Sirko already flew out from under the blackberry bushes, barking, catching up with the wolf.

The wolf runs, carrying the child in his teeth, and Sirko follows him with all his might. Already close, still close - as if he will catch up. The wolf threw the child into the soft grass, and ran into the forest - as if out of fear. And Sirko ran after him, stood over the cradle, barking, licking the child.

The mother came running, saw the baby, whole, lying, smiling. And Sirko was standing over him, like a faithful guardian. The mother cried with happiness, hugged the dog. "Oh Sirko, little dove, you saved our lives! And how we drove you away, poor thing!"«

She brought Sirko home and told her husband. He was moved too. He took the old dog, stroked it, laid warm straw under the bench, and cooked him soup with meat. Sirko recovered in warmth and satiety. They also honor him as a savior.

And the dog did not forget the wolf. One evening the owner was having a wedding - he was giving away his eldest daughter. Pies were baked, meat was cooked. Sirko seized the moment, took a thick sausage, a good piece of meat, a piece of bread in his teeth, and quietly went beyond the village. The wolf was already waiting in the field.

Sirko laid all that good stuff in front of the wolf. «Thank you, friend, without you I would have frozen in the field.» «And thank me for your loyalty,» said the wolf, “it’s really good that people didn’t throw away all the skins from us, animals.” The wolf ate as much as he wanted. They said goodbye like brothers. And for a long time afterwards Sirko carried gifts to the wolf in the field. And when the dog grew very old and died, the owner buried him under a cherry tree, weeping for him as for a relative. Because a loyal dog is a treasure in the house, which must be protected until the last breath.