By Ahmed Jalali
The little puppy was born to
his mother "Teresa" and looked somewhat different from his brothers. His
color was between brown and black mottled with semi-white circles on its soft
fur.
He decided to choose him for
himself and leave the rest of the puppies to the aunt and relatives.
Wardan's birth coincided with
his arrival at the last pages of a lengthy novel he was reading during that sweltering
summer.
In commemoration of the author
of that great and sweet literary work, he named the gray puppy
"Wardan", one of the heroes of the novel.
During months he attached
himself to that little dog just as Wardan attached to him as if he was his soul
father . He was close to him wherever he went and seemed to have forgotten his
mother.
Life swept away Wardan second
father between bustling cities and tossed him beyond the ocean by the waves of
life.
Years later he returned at
night to his hometown. In the rain and under the light of a faint lantern, he
was frightened by that beast tied to a stake under a tree.
Wardan stood up and moved his
tail twice, then his eyes shone like someone who wanted to say something.
He approached him cautiously
and then slept on his back and moved his body like a child inciting adults to
pet him.
About ten years ago, he would
put his leg between the puppy's ribs and massage it gently and repeated it
carefully this time.
Whenever he massaged a rib
from his stray, Wardan would relax ecstatic and make a sound like laughter.
The lion dog was asking for
more "massages". Then he opened his mouth for frightening fangs.
Whenever the he wanted to leave him the dog would hold on to him and open his
mouth once more.
Wardan's friend remembered how
puppy massage would end in those past grey far days.
He took his leg out of the
shoe and gently insert it between the jaws of Wardan who tickled her repeatedly
as if he were massaging her intentionally and understandingly.
Since that evening, he has
added to Wardan's name the title of "Master of the Dogs of the
World".