So earlier today one of the dogs were barking. I came checking and there was absolutely no reason for her barking. This is when I told her the tale of the Wolf who cried Boy.

For those who may not know the tale, it is about a young wolf who loved to stray from the pack when he would go out and play. The alpha male warned him that it is not safe and that he might wind up being taken or eaten by a wild human boy. But the little wolf insisted on playing away from the pack. The alpha not wanting one of his pack to fall told the little wolf to let out a crying howl of a wild boy happened to show up and the pack would come to save him. The little wolf agreed and the alpha allowed him to play.

One day while playing the little wolf wondered if the pack would really come and if they did would come in time to actually save him. So he decided to give out a crying howl just to see. Sure enough the pack arrived within seconds to check on the little wolf. “Where is the boy?” Asked the alpha. The little wolf was laughing as he told them he just wanted to see if they would come. The alpha warned him “do not howl falsely for if you do there may come a time when you are in trouble that we do not come thinking it is one of your games!” The pack returned to their den.

Later that day the little wolf decided to cry howl again just to see how fast everyone would come. He was almost not finished howling when the alpha arrived followed closely by the pack. Again the little wolf was laughing and again the alpha scolded him. The pack returned to the den.

Still later that day the little wolf cried howl again and once again the alpha scolded him and an angry pack returned to the den.

Not long before sun down on the same day the little wolf was out playing and decided it would be fun to cry out again and see everyone run to him. So he cried howl as loud as he could. But this time no wolf came. No alpha. No mom or dad. No scolding. Just him alone. He was saddened.

Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes near him as a human boy possibly in his teens burst out. He gave the little wolf an evil grin. The little wolf was terrified and let out an almost blood curling crying howl to get help from the pack and save him. But no wolf came. The boy managed to grab the little wolf as he had become so scared he found his legs frozen unable to run. He cried out again as loud as he could as tears ran down his face. But no wolf came. The boy carried the wolf off and the little wolf was never seen from again.

I explained to the dog that falsely barking is just like crying howl like the little wolf and if she continues to bark when there is no reason and nothing there eventually one day she will bark when it is something and no one will come. I could see in her eyes that she got the point of the story.

And since then the dog has been silent.