Story Time

"Story Time" is the eleventh Beasts of Burden story.

Story
Emrys tells a story to three puppies. He says that long ago, before the Wise Dog Society, there were Learned Dogs and War Dogs. One dog, Bítan, was trained in both their ways by a warlock and a warrior. The warrior, Alric, was his companion in battle. They took a quest from their king to right the Nine Great Wrongs, supernatural menaces that threatened the land.

After finishing the quest, on the way home, they came across a region under the tyranny of an evil wizard whose tower was guarded by a Basilisk. They fought their way to the tower, then Alric fastened a blindfold over Bítan's eyes and Bítan went to fight the Basilisk, guided by his nose. Bítan succeeded in killing it, but in the process his blindfold was torn off and he was turned to stone. Alric finished the task, killing the wizard, and brought Bítan's body back home, where it was placed on the castle lawn in a place of honor. It is said that this is the origin of humans placing animal statues on their lawns.

Emrys finishes the story by suggesting that some of the lawn statues they see may be victims of the Basilisk. He says he recently came across a Basilisk in the nearby woods, and saved himself from its gaze by tearing out his own eye. The puppies are frightened and run back to their doghouse. Emrys says to Ace that he doesn't think the puppies will be following him out on patrol any more. Responding to the others, he also says that the story is a simplified version, but "true enough", and that there's nothing wrong with his eyes.

Characters

 * Emrys
 * three puppies and their mother
 * Bítan
 * Alric
 * thornlings
 * Basilisk
 * Ace
 * Jack
 * Pugsley
 * Whitey
 * The Orphan
 * Miranda