A Tale of Two Tails(P.S. Winn) The two friends had lived next door to each other from the day they had been born.
Their families got along, and the two friends spent a lot of time together. Especially in the summer when they weren’t in school.
The story really began to unfold when Karla Harris had been the first to get a pet.
It had been on her sixth birthday. Along with the gifts she had asked for, Karla’s parents surprised her with a puppy. Seeing the special gift, Karla had been so excited that her parents had given her the small dog.
Several of her friends had been at her party.
All of them had praised Karla on getting such a perfect gift.
Her neighbor, Ted Johnson, a year and one month older, had decided he wanted a dog, as well.
After Ted mentioned that he wanted a pet hundreds of times, his parents gave him one on his seventh birthday. Both children were happy to each have a dog to play with.
In the month after Karla and Ted’s birthday, Karla and her dog, who she named Gracie, spent most of their time out on Karla’s back porch. That was because Gracie was still young. Karla loved to sit on the porch and brush Gracie’s hair. Her dog was quickly becoming her best friend. The two spent a lot of time together. Even at night, when Gracie was allowed to stay in Karla’s room. Gracie had a large dog bed in the room. What Karla’s parents didn’t know was that Gracie usually slept in Karla’s bed, with her master. Karla’s parents wouldn’t have minded because Gracie was such a good dog.
Karla slowly began training Gracie. She would ask Gracie to sit, then give her a treat when the dog did as she was asked. As the days became weeks then turned into a month, Gracie learned several great tricks.
Ted named his dog Ralph. He and Ralph were a lot like Karla and Gracie. Ted spent every moment he could with Ralph. He liked that his dog had short hair instead of long hair like Karla’s dog.
Like Karla, Ted began to train Ralph.
The new pet learned many of the tricks that Gracie had been taught by Karla. When the dogs were big enough to go out in the children’s yards, instead of staying on their owners' porches, Ted and Karla kept the dogs close by. The two children played games outside, the two dogs also played.
The dogs, like the people that owned them, were about the same age. The dogs looked a lot different, and so did their owners. Karla had long hair, and so did Gracie, She also had a long tail. Ted had short hair. Ralph’s hair was also short, just like his tail. Both dogs had two colors, brown and white.
They could talk to each other. Not the way humans could talk, of course. They spoke in dog talk. When their owners were far enough away that they couldn’t hear, Ralph had frowned, looking at Gracie.
“Why do you have a long tail? Mine is nice and short.”
Gracie had also frowned.
“What do you mean? I think my tail is nicer. I like my tail long. Why would you think a short tail is nice?”
Before Ralph could answer, he saw the kids running toward them.
“Don’t say anything, Ted and Karla are coming.”
Gracie had laughed, her dark eyes shining.
“Don’t worry. They can’t understand us Ralph. All they hear is the barking noises humans hear.”
Ralph shook his head, and grunted a bark.
“We’ll talk about this when they aren’t around.”
Two days later, the dogs were together again.
They watched Karla and Ted playing catch in Ted’s back yard.
Gracie was wagging her long tail, and smiling.
“See how nice my tail is. I can wag it when I am happy.”
Ralph rolled his brown eyes.
“So what, I can wag my tail. You just can’t see it as well as yours. I still think my tail is nicer than yours. My tail doesn’t get as dirty as yours does.”
Shaking her head, Gracie frowned.
“If my tail gets dirty, I can have a bath. Then Karla brushes it out for me. Ted doesn’t brush your tail. I mean, he really can’t brush that tiny thing, can he?””
Ralph barked out.
“You’re being silly Gracie. Why would Ted even want to brush my tail? That’s for girl dogs. I’m telling you, long tails just get in the way.”
Gracie shook her head.
“You're so wrong Ralph. You don’t have to be a girl dog to have a long tail. You’re only saying that because you’re a boy dog.”
Shaking his head, Ralph stared at Gracie.
“Never mind Gracie. I just can’t make you understand. I just know that my not having a tail, is much better than you having one.”
Over the next month, the two dogs argued many times about who was right about their tails. In fact. when they weren’t talking about tails, the two dogs got along fine. So the tail talk happened less often.
Between the two farms, a large pond sat. Neither of the families went down to the pond. That was because the water was actually more mud than anything else. Both Karla and Ted had been told by their parents to stay away from the pond. The place was too dangerous for anyone to be playing around. The children had, in turn, both warned their pets to keep away from that area.
One day, not long after a heavy rain had fallen, Ralph had found Gracie on her porch.
“Gracie, let’s go look at the pond.”
Gracie shook her head.
“I don’t think we should. We could get in trouble if we get caught down there. You heard what Karla and Ted have told us. The pond is dangerous.”
Staring at Gracie, Ralph shook his head.
“I just want to look at how deep the mud is. Maybe you’re just afraid.”
Gracie growled at Ralph.
“I am not afraid. I’ll prove it. Let’s go.”
Making their way from the house, the two dogs stood at the edge of the pond, their paws sinking into the mud.
Gracie had frowned.
“Oh no, look at my paws. Karla is really going to be mad at me. I knew we shouldn’t be down in this place.”
Looking at his own paws, Ralph nodded.
“You’re right. Ted’s going to be mad at me too. I’m glad we came to look though. This place is huge. Just look at all that mud. I’d like to just get out there and roll around in it.”
Gracie stared at him. She couldn’t believe what Ralph was saying.
“No Ralph, why would you want to get filthy?”
Ignoring what Gracie asked, Ralph took a couple steps into the mud. He was going to say that getting filthy could be fun, bu then his paws began to slip. His legs began moving faster, trying to get back to the edge of the pond. Instead, he slipped further in.
Now, Ralph was scared.
“Gracie, I can’t get out. Oh no, help Gracie. You have to go get Ted.”
Gracie shook her head.
“No Ralph, that would take too long.”
Turning around, Gracie dug her paws into the mud at the edge of the pond.
Then, she wagged her long tail.
“Bite into my tail Ralph. I’ll pull you out.”
Ralph frowned. “I’ll hurt you, if I do that.”
Gracie barked at him.
“Just do it Ralph. It’s the only way. You’re slipping more every second. Bite my tail, and then hang on.”
Hating to think he might hurt Gracie, Ralph did what she said. He knew it the only thing that might save him.
Opening his mouth, Ralph bit down on the long tail. He heard a slight yelp from Gracie, but that was all. He knew the bite must hurt, but Gracie didn’t complain anymore.
Instead, she began to slowly move. She hadn’t realized how heavy Ralph was. It didn’t help that the mud was trapping him in place.
Tucking her head down, Gracie pulled harder,
She could feel the pain in her tail. She hoped Ralph’s teeth wouldn’t bite her tail all the way in half. She kept pulling.
Finally, Gracie felt it easier to pull Ralph’s weight. A few moments later, she felt the teeth let go of her tail. The pain was still there, throbbing.
Gracie turned to Ralph.
“Thank goodness you’re out of that mud.”
Relieved, Ralph’s head bobbed.
“You saved my life Gracie. Thank you. Thanks so much. You were so brave to even try that. I’m sorry I ever said anything bad about your tail. It’s the most beautiful tail in the world.”
Now, Gracie smiled.
“You’re welcome Ralph. Now, can we just get out of here. I want to go home.”
Nodding, Ralph moved to walk next to Gracie.
She grinned at him..
“I’m so glad you like my tail now.”
Ralph barked out a laugh.
“I do like your tail. Right now though, I’m just worried about what Ted and Karla are going to say when they see us.”
Gracie nodded, worried about that as well.
By the time the two got back to their homes, the mud had dried. It was stuck all over the two dogs. When their owners saw them, The two did get yelled out. Neither Ted, nor Karla stayed mad for long, though. They both understood the two dogs couldn’t be blamed for wanting to explore.
Both of the children had felt like doing the same things themselves.
Days went by, then weeks. Things got back to normal for everyone. Karla and Ted still played games in one yard or another. The dogs also played outside. No one went near the pond.
About a month after the muddy pond incident, Karla and Ted had the dogs with them. The two were working outside instead of playing.
The children were at Ted’s house. His dad had put in a large paddle wheel for moving irrigation water from the nearby creek to the garden area.
The wheel went across the ditch and was about a foot wide. It stood two feet high. The kids were making sure everything was running smoothly.
The dogs were watching, but doing more playing than helping. Gracie was running around the edges of the ditch, barking happily at the wheel.
She loved to watch the water as it rose up, the dropped down into the ditch.
Suddenly, she felt herself pulled backward.
She let out a loud yelp.
Her long, beautiful tail had gotten got in the wheel.
A few feet from Gracie, Ralph saw what was happening. He ran over as fast as his four legs would carry him. Using all his strength, and his weight, he ran broadside into Gracie. He hit Gracie hard, knocking her loose from the wheel.
When Ralph hit her, Gracie flew a few feet, landing on the ground. She felt the pain as some of the hair on her tail was pulled out.
Ralph rushed over to her.
“Gracie, are you okay?”
Gracie, still on the ground, tried to nod.
“I will be, thanks to you. Oh my gosh Ralph. My long tail got caught in that wheel. If I would have had a nice, short tail like yours, this never would have happened.”
Relieved that Gracie was okay, Ralph smiled.
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Then he barked, because he saw Ted, and Karla heading toward them. He leaned toward Gracie.
“We can talk later.”
The two children ran up to the dogs.
Both had seen what had happened.
Karla was checking Gracie’s tail.
Ted was petting Ralph.
“Good dog Ralph, good dog.”
Karla was staring down at Gracie’s tail.
“Better get you back to the house, Gracie. I don’t think too much damage was done. I’ll have mom fix you up.”
Luckily, Gracie’s tail healed quickly.
A month later, Gracie and Ralph were outside sitting on Karla’s back porch.
Gracie was looking over at Ralph.
“I hope you forgive me for the bad things I said about your short tail. My long tail got in my way, and I really could have gotten hurt bad.”
Ralph barked out a laugh.
“Your long tail also saved my life. I guess having a long tail can be a good thing. Just like my having a short tail, can be a good thing. Every animal, just like every person is different. That’s what makes us special.”
Gracie nodded. “You’re right Ralph. We should all just be grateful for who we are, and for the things that make us different from each other. Each thing that makes us special, is also something that is useful.”
Ralph nodded at that, then looked out toward the yard where two people, who were also quite different, but also very special, were playing. Looking at them, a smile came.
Beside Ralph, Gracie also looked at the children, a similar smile, and a look of love filling her eyes.

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