Two friendly dogs

In a certain village, there lived two dogs. They were good friends and helped each other protecting their places of stay in the village. One would go see the other nearer to fence which barred them from their places of stay. This was done especially when they were released by their masters and by the wives of the masters.

One dog was the guardian of a farming house. He was fat and well fed by the farmer master and his wife. The farmer had sufficient food to give him. He was named Brown (Dumbura) as he was brown in complexion. The other was slim and looked under fed. He was white, thus he was named White (Sudda). He scarcely got the opportunity to eat well. A former treasurer of the royal clan bred him. But due to some fate, the man was gradually declining from wealth and status. This former treasurer was sometimes nervous and angry, and he had constant verbal combats with his own wife who was kind to White.

When the occasion arrived to feed them, the two owners had several differences. The farmer gave his dog the best of food he can afford to supply even at the difficult times. So Brown was happy. He once saw how his friend was treated. The treasurer's dog did not feel jealous, he was a good friend in need and the only companion who lived in the vicinity. They had to live in harmony.

"Oh I am sorry to see how bad my friend is being fed. I must invite him to come and share the food I get here,' he thought and wanted to help him by inviting his friend to his side of the fence to partake of some food with him and if possible to live there. So he said to his friend:

"You are not fed well enough, that is why you look so slim and sad."

"I am not sad, but I look slim," Brown said, "I must be satisfied with what I get. My master and his wife are so kind hearted. They were once rich and now that they are not rich. So they cannot afford to feed me well, like in the past. My master's wife calls me son. That is enough to live for years in this place."

"But," said the farmer's dog, "at this rate, you will die out of starvation."

"I don't think so!"

"But see how my master treats me. He gives me the best of food, the finest rice and curries and some times special delicacies brought by other farmer friends."

The former treasurer's dog was listening with pity. But he did not want to abuse or defame his own master and the mistress. So he wanted to convince his stance.

"So why don't you come on to my side one of these days and share some of the meals with me?" invited the farmer's dog once again.

"No I don't want to do it. That is demeaning my masters."

"How so? I don't get you."

"Well, it is like this," the farmer's dog went on listening. The treasurer's dog explained his side of the story, "you know I have to confide this with you, and see that you are not going to wag your tongue to others. That will not help us."

"All right I promise not to tell anybody."

"It so happens that sometimes I used to listen to what they speak in their human language. I am simply surprised."

"And why?"

"You know my master has a strange language which he uses quite often and my mistress is not so sorry about it."

"Oh tell me what type of language does he use?"

"It is simply the language used by several humans at different times of their expressions."

"Pray tell me. I need to know it all."

"My master sometimes calls his wife bellie (bitch) and calls me bellige putha (son of a bitch)."

"But aren't they supposed to be bad words?"

"I don't think so huh. We are known as balla (dog) and belli (she dog) in their language and that shows humans know more about us than themselves, though some of the humans regard them as swearing words."

"Are you really pleased to hear those words?"

"Yes certainly when the master calls his wife belli, and in turn she calls me putha, doesn't it imply that I am her son and it pleases me to hear how sweet the words are. It all depends on how you interpret what one says. Once she caressed me and said in a darling tone that I am her putha and she said that I am her baluputha (doggy son)."

The farmer's dog wanted to understand what his friend is saying. But he failed in his attempt to understand his friend.

'So are you not going to share my food?" asked the farmer's dog.

"Thank you so much for the offer. But I cannot leave the premises of my mother, where I am looked after so well despite the shortcomings."

"You are indeed a funny and foolish dog," said the farmer's dog in a friendly manner.

"No I am not, I am just another dog gaining motherly attention." retorted the other.