1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXX. - The Snow Dog and Boy
Review the preceding story: What do men teach their dogs to do? If you have forgotten, read the answer from page 89. After the you read the story review the phonograms: "ea", "igh", and "qu". Skim through the story and find examples of these sounds. What do you think would be first if the boy had been telling the story? Then what would be next, and so forth (this requires some rereading). Write your ideas in a list. When your finished with your list look at it and write a story. You can pretend your are the boy and write in first person, using "I", or you can also make up a name for the boy and write in third person.
The Snow Dog and Boy
After the old man had wiped the sweat from off his face, he went on with his story. "One sad, cold night when the snow fell fast, and the wind blew loud and shrill, and it was quite dark with not a star to be seen in the sky, these good men sent out a dog to hunt for those who might want help. " In and hour or two the dog was heard at the gate, and when they looked they saw the dog with a boy on his back. "The poor child was stiff with cold, and could just hold on to the dog's back. "He told the men that he had lain a long time in the snow, and was too ill and weak to walk, and the snow fell fast on him. After a while, he felt something pull him by the coat, and then he heard the bark of a dog close by him. " The boy then put out his hand, and he felt hair of the dog, and then the dog gave him one more pull. This gave the poor boy some hope, and he took hold of the dog, and he took hold of the dog, and drew himself out of the snow. He felt that he could not stand or walk. " He then got upon the dog's back, and put his arms around the dog's neck, and held fast. He felt sure the dog did not mean to hurt him, and thus rode on the dog's back, all the way to the good men's house. They took care of the boy till the snow was gone, then they sent him to his own home.
Barry, who lived and made history between 1800 and 1814, was one of the greatest rescue dogs the world has ever seen. Barry was a Saint Bernard dog who earned worldwide fame for the brave rescue operations he carried out during his lifetime. His painting by Salvatore Rosa still hangs in a hospice in the Alps of Switzerland.
Barry was an expert rescue dog well versed with the rescue drill and amongst his famous rescue adventures there is this famous story about a young boy who was found stranded on an icy ledge, all covered with thick snow under an ongoing, heavy snowfall. It was not possible for any man to climb that icy ledge, but Barry braving all adversity crawled inch by inch to the injured boy. As the drill has it, Barry started licking the boy's face but the snowfall was too heavy and the ledge too difficult to climb for any monk to reach the boy. So, there was no help coming. The boy, however, woke up due to Barry's warm licks and wrapped his arms around Barry's strong neck. The dog pulled him carefully and bravely from the ledge and brought him to safety.
It is just one of the many gallant rescue stories of this great rescuer Saint Bernard. He lived from 1800 to 1814 and saved more than 40 lives in his lifetime.
