Hippo and Samson

“Don’t you hear a whimpering sound?" asked the father in the dead of night. It was raining from the evening, and the darkness was spreading thickly enveloping the entire area. The son opened the front door. Then he saw a brown dog shivering in the rain.

"Oh, look at that one. He is needs help," said the son. His mother and sister too came to see the scene.

"A dog has come all the way to get our help," said the father.

"He reminds me of our late doggie Hippo," said sister.

"Yes, he looks exactly like our Hippo," said the mother.

"Let us take him in," said father. The brother and the sister ushered the dog into the house. They made the dog feel that someone in the world is helping him. He may be hungry. "Let us give him some food," said mother, bringing him some biscuits.

"Perhaps the owners are looking for him," the father.

"I don't think so.

This dog is just not a stray one. He looks respectable," said the sister.

"Anyway we have a visitor now. Let us look after him until the owners claim him," said the brother who took an extra care on the dog.

"Let us call him Hippo," said the sister, "hello how are you Hippo? Where did you come from Hippo?"

The sister touched his face gently, and said "Look he has a collar around his neck,"

"That means he has come out of a house and gone stray," said the father. After giving biscuits the sister prepared some milk and served him.

"Drink this milk, Hippo."

The stranger dog slept on the floor, as if he is accustomed to the surroundings.

"He is quite friendly," she said.

The whimpering sound was not heard as the strange dog was caressed well by the family members. Another day dawned. The strange dog who is nearly named as Hippo was no longer a stranger. It looked as if he had completely forgotten his own house.

"He looks a close relative of ours," said the mother. She was reminded of the dead dog who was a gentle creature, to whom she extended all the heart-spring love. Two days passed.

Still it was quiet strange that no body claimed the ownership of the dog.

"Hippo you are ours now," said the sister dearly.

Three more days passed. All the four members of the family looked after Hippo with dear utterances to keep him happy. They fed them well. They arranged a special place for him to stay all day. But on the fifth day something happened.

One whole family came to see them.

There was a brother, sister, a mother and a father - exactly like the family who took care of the dog.

"Did you happen to see a brown dog?" The father asked.

"He has a collar around his neck," the mother said.

The family who had 'Hippo' looked at faces of each other.

"We have to be honest," said the father.

"A few days ago, a strange brown dog was seen whimpering at our front door. We took care of them. We are not sure if it's that dog you are in search of."

"Our one's name is Samson," said the father.

The brother shouted 'Samson.' "Where are you Samson?"

All of a sudden Hippo came out. "My children took good care of him," said the father.

"Thank you," said the boy.

"He is our Hippo." Said the sister.

"Did you name him Hippo? What a nice name?"

"We had a dog of the same look some years ago. He died as he ran away to the main road." Said the mother.

"Thank you so much for looking after our Samson so dearly." Said the father.

"But we love him. He became our Hippo," saddened sister said in a sobbing tone.

"Your Hippo is their Samson," said the father.

"Samson will you come with us home?" Asked the father. Hippo, who turned to be Samson was seen identifying his owners. Wagging the short tail Samson got closer to his master and the rest of the family members.

The family who looked after the strange dog, was saddened by the encounter.

"We thank you for looking after our Samson," they all said in turns.

"Anyway we want to give you a present for taking care of our Samson," the father said.

When they bid farewell from the family who looked after Samson, the sister said softly.

"They are taking off our Hippo."

"They are the legitimate owners," said the father.

"Soon we shall come back," he added.

In two days time they visited the family once again.

"We have come to give you a present," said the father.

"This is a little Hippo for you, the same breed."

The sister came out.

"Do you like him?"

"Oh yes,"

"So you have not missed your Hippo. This is a Samson junior.

The pup, an offspring of Samson, was handed over.

"Thank you," they all said in turns.