How the Dog Found Himself a New Master! & The Kite

The Dog's Dissatisfaction: In ancient eras, dogs lived as independent wild animals. However, a particular dog grew weary of wandering alone, feeling sick and frightened of beasts stronger than himself. He resolved to become the servant of whoever was the strongest creature on the entire Earth.

The Sequence of Masters:

1. The Big Wolf: The dog first met a fierce wolf, his kinsman. The wolf readily agreed to be his master. But when the wolf suddenly sniffed the wind, sprang into the bushes, and hid in terror upon spotting a Bear, the dog realized the Bear was stronger and promptly switched allegiance.
2. The Bear: The Bear accepted the dog and offered to hunt a herd of cows for their meal. However, while approaching the herd, a terrifying roar stopped them. The cows were stampeding in panic because a Lion—the king of beasts—was on the prowl. Seeing the Bear flee in panic into the deep forest, the dog said goodbye to him.
3. The Lion: The Lion took the dog as his loyal retainer. For a very long time, the dog lived happily, safe and well-fed, as no animal dared offend the lion's companion.
4. The Encounter with Man: One day, while walking side-by-side along a cliff path, the lion stopped abruptly, gave a mighty roar, struck the ground with his paw, and cautiously backed away. The lion confessed: "I smell a man coming this way. We had better run or we will be in trouble."

The Final Choice: Realizing that Man was stronger than even the fiercest ruler of the jungle, the dog left the Lion and went to serve Man. To this very day, the dog serves man with unwavering loyalty as his most faithful friend.

Harry Behn captures the joyous motion and fragile beauty of a kite flying in a crisp sky.

Key Stanzas & Interpretations

• Launch into the Blue: "How bright on the blue / is a kite when it's new!" The contrast between the colorful kite and the spotless blue sky creates vivid visual imagery. With a dive and a dip, its tail snaps rhythmically in the wind.
• The Ship Simile: "Then soars like a ship / with only a sail..." The poet employs a striking simile, comparing the kite riding gusts of wind to a sailing vessel cutting across ocean waves upon the crest of a surge.
• Resting and Wind Fall: As the wind drops, the kite seems to rest in mid-air. When the kite's string slackens, the flyer rolls it back up until a new gust of wind blows, filling its wings with air to rise again.
• The Tragic End: "But a raggeder thing / you never will see / when it flaps on a string / in the top of a tree." A gust of ill wind snags the vibrant kite onto tree branches, turning a once-majestic flyer into a torn, fluttering wreck.

Poetic Devices

• Simile: "soars like a ship" (comparing kite movement to a maritime ship).
• Alliteration: "bright on the blue", "soars like a ship", "flaps on a string".
• Sensory Imagery: Visual ("bright on the blue"), Auditory ("snaps its tail"), Kinesthetic ("dives and dips", "climbs to the crest").

Key Terms & Phrasal Meanings

• Kinsman: An archaic word for a blood relative or close family relation (the wolf was the dog's wild ancestor).
• Fierce: Violent, aggressive, and frightening in appearance or behavior.
• Cliff: A steep rock face or precipice, especially overlooking land or water.
• Crest: The highest point or ridge of a wave or hill.
• Ragged: Torn, frayed, and reduced to ragged strips.