La siguiente historia es una que apareció en Country Life en noviembre de 1918. Estaba maravillosamente escrito por Walter A Dyer y cualquiera que haya poseído o caído en los encantos de un Wolfhound irlandés reconocerán de inmediato la descripción conmovedora de la raza.
"Bally Shannon había sido, como ellos, soldado en Francia. No era un ayudante de ambulancia ordinario, sino un luchador. Salvó a diez hombres heridos arrastrándolos fuera de la tierra de nadie. Luego llegó la explosion y Bally Shannon y su maestro fueron ambos heridos. Fueron enviados a casa en un barco hospital, y a mediados del canal del barco fue torpedeado por un submarino alemán.
"El torpedo hizo su trabajo bien y el barco se hundió con casi todos a bordo Sólo tres hombres fueron salvados -... El maestro de Bally Shannon y otros dos lograron asirse a la parte superior de una pieza apenas flotante de restos del buque.Luego llego el valiente perro , nadando con fuerza a pesar de sus heridas e intento ser subido a bordo. Pero la pieza no podría haber soportado su peso adicional, y su amo se vio obligado a mantenerlo alejado. Sin siquiera una mirada de reproche Bally Shannon obedeció. Durante toda la noche nadó alrededor de la rudimentaria nave, solamente apoyando la barbilla sobre ella cuando casi se agotaba. Por la mañana fueron recogidos ".
"Vi en sus ojos la devoción y el incuestionable coraje que mostró aquella noche oscura en el agua del Canal. Vi en ellos la herencia de su noble raza, el espíritu de Bran y Luath, del incomparable Gelert, y vi en ellos también , el misterio del maravilloso regalo del perro fundirse con la humanidad.
"Hay personas que no les gusta los perros, me gustaría que pudieran ver al noble Bally Shannon. Yo no sé por qué Dios le dio al perro la chispa de divinidad que le ha hecho unirse con el hombre. Sólo sé esto -... Que cuando el hombre haya aprendido del perro la belleza de sus virtudes de honestidad, fidelidad y valor, el mundo será un lugar mejor para todos nosotros. "
Nunca he visto el amor mutuo entre el hombre y el perro describirse mejor.
Y ese último párrafo, en particular, me hizo pensar en una historia reciente, la de los políticos de Malasia y líderes religiosos que recientemente atacaron el uso de Scottish Terriers durante los juegos de la Commonwealth en la ceremonia de apertura.
Dato Ibrahim Bin Ali pidió una disculpa y dijo que el uso de los perros era "vergonzoso" y "ofende no sólo a Malasia como un país musulmán, sinoa los musulmanes de todo el mundo". Los perros se consideran "impuros" por muchos (aunque no todos, ya que tengo varios amigos musulmanes que también son dueños de perros) en la cultura islámica.
Mohamad Sabu (vicepresidente del Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) ha añadido: "Es de esperar que este incidente pueda enseñar a otros países occidentales a ser más respetuosos en el futuro".
Ahora, yo no estoy pidiendo al Sr. Sabu asumir la propiedad de un perro como yo respeto totalmente sus creencias, pero, ¿no sería bueno si estos dos hombres pudíeran simplemente reconocer y entender las importantes funciones que los perros han desempeñado en nuestra cultura e historia? Y, Walter, escribiendo todo el camino de vuelta en 1918, estaba en lo cierto diciendo lo mucho que la humanidad podría aprender de los perros. Pensad en ello cuando un terremoto y los maravillosos perros 'búsqueda y rescate' se apresuran a la escena de devastación, no se detienen ni cuestionan la religión de la persona atrapada bajo los escombros - tanto como la víctima no les importaría si su rescatador era canino o humano. Creo que lo que esa pequeña discusión tonta realmente nos ha enseñado que el respeto debe ser una calle de dos vías.
The following story is one that appeared in Country Life in November 1918. It was beautifully written by Walter A Dyer and anyone who has owned or fallen for the charms of an Irish Wolfhound will immediately recognise the touching description of the breed.
"Bally Shannon had been, like them, a soldier in France. No ordinary ambulance helper was he, but an over-the-top fighter. Ten wounded men he saved by dragging them out of No-Mans-Land. Then came the bursting shell and Bally Shannon and his master were both wounded. They were sent home on a hospital ship, and in mid channel the ship was torpedoed by a German submarine.
"The torpedo did its work well and the ship went down with nearly all on board. Only three men were saved – Bally Shannon’s master and two others. They managed to scramble on top of a barely floating piece of wreckage. Then came the brave dog, swimming strongly in spite of his wounds and begged to be taken aboard. But the piece of wreckage could not have withstood his additional weight, and his master was forced to keep him away. Without so much as a look of reproach Bally Shannon obeyed. All night long he swam around the rude craft, only resting his chin upon it when nearly exhausted. In the morning they were picked up.”
Walter goes on to write: "When I visited the dog he was nearly well, though his master, alas, had succumbed to his wounds and the exposure. I spoke his name, but not in the tone with which one would address a spaniel. He came to the edge of the enclosure and raised to his full height, resting his forepaws on top of the fence. His head was level with mine.
"I thought I had never seen so magnificent an animal. All sinew and brawn, powerfully built on lines of speed, he stood there and received my homage. I placed my hand reverently on his broad, shaggy head and let it slide down to his muzzle. He took it for an instant in his mouth with the utmost gentleness. I was a stranger to Bally Shannon, but he was a friend to man.
"And I looked into his eyes, great, honest, intelligent eyes, utterly human, ‘I know what you did Bally Shannon,’ said I, ‘you’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din’.
"I saw in those eyes the devotion and unquestioning courage that upheld him that dark night in the Channel water. I saw in them the heritage of his noble race, the spirit of Bran and Luath, of peerless Gelert, and I saw in them too, the mystery of the dog’s wonderful gift of attaching himself to humankind.
"There are people who do not like dogs. I wish they might see noble Bally Shannon. I know not why God gave the dog the spark of divinity that has made him kin to man. I only know this – that when man shall have learned from the dog the beauty of his virtues of honesty, fidelity and courage, the world will be a better place for all of us.”
I have never seen the mutual love between man and dog described better.
And that last paragraph in particular made me think of a recent story, that of the Malaysian politicians and religious leaders who recently attacked the use of Scottish Terriers during the Commonwealth games opening ceremony.
Dato Ibrahim Bin Ali called for an apology and said the use of the dogs was ‘shameful’ and "has offended not only Malaysia as a Muslim country, but Muslims around the world”. Dogs are considered ‘unclean’ by many (although not all as I have several Muslim friends who are also dog owners) in Islamic culture. Mohamad Sabu (deputy president of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) added: "It is hoped this incident can teach other Western countries to be more respectful in future”.
Now, I’m not asking Mr Sabu to take up dog ownership as I fully respect his beliefs but, wouldn’t it be good if these two men could simply recognise and understand the important roles dogs have played in our culture and history? And, Walter, writing all the way back in 1918, was correct in his saying how much mankind could learn from dogs. Think about it; when an earthquake strikes and those marvellous ‘search and rescue’ dogs are rushed to the scene of devastation, they don’t pause and question the religion of the person trapped beneath the rubble – just as much as the victim wouldn’t care if his rescuer was canine or human. I think what that silly little argument has really taught us all is that respect needs to be a two way street!
