The Yellow Dog Returns with Baskets of Steamed Buns, But the Owner Drives It Away
Our group of children all have a dog at home, and almost every child has a close 'dog companion' around. I have the strongest feelings for the big yellow dog in this poem, because during a period of hunger, it saved our family like a benefactor. I've always remembered it as if I were remembering someone. I really want to name it here.
The big yellow dog appeared in a period of hunger. It was a very smart and loyal dog. It had lived with our family since childhood, following us when we went to the well to fetch water, following us when we went to pick pigweed, and following us when we worked in the fields.
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In general, besides guarding at night, it was always with us during the day. When people's lives were hard, our life was even more difficult, and we often worried about filling our bellies. Just at this time, our family had a savior—the big yellow dog brought us back food, one package after another of white steamed buns and black steamed buns.
It turned out that it had actually reached the doorstep of a middle school dormitory and stolen buns from boarding students. It was so touching, and so magical. It carried back one package after another of steamed buns, ate some of them, and then put the rest in the firewood pile, seemingly for us.
At first, we didn't know where the buns came from, we just quickly took them home and secretly ate them. But when we discovered the origin of the buns, we were very afraid. We not only didn't dare to eat them, but we also didn't dare to look at the dog. As expected, because this dog was a thief, it was soon discovered by a group of middle school students who chased it to our house and shouted to kill our dog.
The dog was very clever and sensed the danger, it ran away far away and escaped. But perhaps it felt the danger had passed, after a while it returned. It was a sunset, the dog first suddenly barked, startling everyone, then whimpered and wagged its tail incessantly, making the whole family deeply moved.
We dared not keep it, fearing it would cause more trouble. So we drove it away immediately, but six months later it returned. It didn't dare to enter the yard anymore, but stood on Zhuangzi (a raised platform), looking at us with a world-weary expression for a long time. Seeing the dog, the whole family was both surprised and joyful, then again afraid, so they shouted and beat it, and it quietly turned away and never returned.
I will never forget the dog's majestic appearance when it left. The dog owed the middle school students who were suffering from the cold, and we owed this 'benevolent' dog. Later, when I studied and taught at the school, I often remembered it, even as if I could see it climbing over the wall.
Actually, I have forgotten the color of the dog. It might have been white, black, gray, or a big flower dog with black and white, I called it big yellow dog in 'Laying Down on That Riverbed' because yellow is a warm color, I hope it is as warm as the warm sun.
■Written by/Adapted from 'High School Student Bao's Bear Times' (Yingping edited by Gai Ke published by Hebei Publishing Media Group Hebei Children's and Young People's Publishing House),
■Editor/Shu Yu,
■Copyright, without permission, other media shall not reprint.
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