“Will you flush game for me, Wolf, when I go hunting the wild things beneath the trees?” asked Human.
“I will,” said Wolf, “If only you leave me the bones and scraps of meat from your kills.”
“That is well,” said Human. “And will you use your ears and eyes and nose to guard me while I rest, and warn me when lions prowl too near?”
“I will,” said Wolf, “If only you let me lie in the warmth of your cooking-fires.”
“But of course,” said Human. “And will you do as I command, and follow me wherever I go, and love my children and grandchildren as you would love your own?”
“I will,” said Wolf, “If only you scratch me where my claws cannot reach, and pet me, and heal my injuries when I am wounded.”
“Always,” said Human. “And will you let me dress you up in funny clothes, and dance around, and do little tricks for me to laugh at?”
Wolf hesitated, and eyed Human warily for some time, weighing its choices. “That depends,” it said. “Will you tell me I’m a good boy?”
Human smiled. “The goodest boy,” it said.
Dog wagged its tail, and Wolf was no more.