A farmer once had a faithful dog called Shep, who had grown old, and lost all his teeth, so that he could no longer hold on to anything.

One day the farmer was standing with his wife before the house-door, and said:

"Tomorrow I intend to shoot old Shep, he is no use any longer."

His wife, who felt pity for the faithful beast, answered, "He has served us so long, and been so faithful, that we might well give him his keep."

"What!" said the man. "You are not very bright. He doesn't have a tooth in his head. No thief is afraid of him. He can go. If he has served us, he has had good feeding for it."

Shep, lying stretched out in the sun not far off, heard everything, and was sorry that tomorrow was to be his last day.

He had a good friend, a wolf, and Shep crept out in the evening into the forest to him, and complained of the fate that awaited him.

"Listen, Shep," said the wolf, "be of good cheer. I will help you out of your trouble. I have thought of something. Tomorrow, early in the morning, your master is going with his wife to make hay, and they will take their little child with them, for no one will be left behind in the house. They have the habit, during work-time, to lay the child under the hedge in the shade. You park yourself there, too, just as if you wished to guard it. Then I will come out of the wood, and carry off the child. You must rush swiftly after me, as if you would seize it again from me. I will let it fall. You will take it back to its parents, who will think that you have saved it, and will be far too grateful to do you any harm. On the contrary, you will be in high favour. They will never let you want for anything again."

The plan pleased Shep, and it was carried out just as it was arranged.

The wolf snatched the child - the father screamed - then old Shep brought it back.

The farmer was full of joy, and stroked him and said, "Not a hair of yours shall be hurt. You shall eat my bread free as long as you live."

To his wife he said, "Go home at once and make old Shep some bread-sop that he will not have to chew, and bring the pillow out of my bed - I will give him that to lie upon."

Henceforth old Shep was as well off as he could wish to be.

Soon afterwards the wolf visited him, and was pleased that everything had succeeded so well.

"Shep," said he, "you just wink an eye if, when I have a chance, I carry off one of your master's fat sheep."

"Do not reckon upon that," answered Shep. "I will remain true to my master, I cannot agree to that."

The wolf thought that Shep was joking. One night he came creeping about in the night and was going to take away the sheep.

The farmer, to whom the faithful Shep had told the wolf's plan, caught the wolf and beat him.

The wolf made himself scarce, but he cried out to Shep, "Wait a bit, you scoundrel, you shall pay for this!"

The next morning the wolf sent the boar to challenge Shep to come out into the forest so that they might settle the affair. Old Shep could find no one to stand by him but a cat with only three legs, and as they went out together the poor cat limped along, and at the same time stretched out her tail into the air with pain.

The wolf and his friend were already at the appointed place, but when they saw their enemy coming they thought that he was bringing a sabre with him, for they mistook the outstretched tail of the cat for one.

When the poor beast hopped on its three legs, they could only think every time that it was picking up a stone to throw at them. So they were both afraid.

The wild boar crept into the undergrowth and the wolf jumped up a tree.

The dog and the cat, when they came up, wondered that there was no one to be seen.

The wild boar, however, had not been able to hide completely - one of his ears was sticking out.

While the cat was looking carefully about, the boar moved his ear. The cat thought it was a mouse moving there, and jumped upon it, biting hard.

The boar made a fearful noise and ran away, crying out, "The guilty one is up the tree!"

The dog and cat looked up and saw the wolf, who was ashamed of being so timid, and made friends with the dog.

Based on Old Sultan