There once was a dog that wanted more than anything to be able to run across the street and catch the squirrel. Her owner, though, did not want the dog to do this, and thus, devised a plan to distract her everyday from visiting the squirrel.
So, the first day the dog went to the owner and said, "I must go and catch that squirrel!". The owner replied, "And you will! But first, I will teach you how to sit."
"What is the nature of this trick?" the dog asked.
"Well, when I say 'sit', and hold a hand above your head, you will sit on your back legs and await a treat!" the owner replied.
They did this over and over, and by the time that the dog had mastered the trick, it was night time, and it was too dark to go get the squirrel.
The dog learning how to sit.
(Personal photo, 2016)
The next day the dog went to the owner and said, "I must go and catch that squirrel!" The owner replied, "And you will! But first, I will teach you how to shake."
"What is the nature of this trick?" the dog asked.
"Well, when I said, 'shake', and extend my hand out, you will put your paw in my hand as if we were shaking hands, and then you will receive a treat!"
They did this over and over, and by the time that the dog had mastered how to shake, it was night time, and it was too dark to get the squirrel.
The next day the dog went to the owner and said, "I must go and catch that squirrel!" The owner replied, "And you will! But first, I will teach you how to speak."
"What is the nature of this trick?" the dog asked.
"Well, when I say, 'speak' and hold my hands by my mouth, you will bark once, and then you will receive a treat!"
They did this over and over, and by the time that the dog had mastered how to speak, it was night time, and it was too dark to get the squirrel.
The next day the dog went to the owner and said, "I must go and catch that squirrel!" The owner replied, "And you will! But first, I will teach you how to fetch."
"What is the nature of this trick?" the dog asked.
"Well, when I say, 'fetch' and throw the tennis ball, you will go and retrieve the ball and give it to me, and wait for me to throw it again."
They did this over and over, and by the time that the dog had mastered how to fetch, it was night time, and it was too dark to get the squirrel.
The next day the dog went to the owner and said, "I must go and catch that squirrel!" The owner replied, "And you will! But first, I will teach you how to roll over."
"What is the nature of this trick?" the dog asked.
"Well, when I say, 'roll over' and twist my wrist, you will roll over on the carpet, and then you will receive a treat!"
By the time that the dog had mastered how to roll over, it was night time, and it was too dark to get the squirrel.
Finally, the dog had learned all the tricks that the owner could think of, and she could not hold the dog back any longer. So the dog insisted that the owner take her outside for a walk to catch the squirrel.
Unfortunately for the dog, it was now wintertime, and the squirrel was in hibernation until the spring. Fortunately for the owner, the dog was very well trained.
Author's Note:
I was inspired to write this story after reading 'Tales of a Parrot" by Nakhshabi. In this storybook, a parrot distracts the King's wife every night so she won't go out and meet her lover and betray the king. In the story, however, when the King finds out about the wife's lover, he kills her.
Bibliography:
From "Tales of a Parrot" by Nakhshabi. Source
here.
