PARABLE OF THE MASTER'S DOG by Steve Savage "King of the Beasts"

The muffled bleating cries of the Sheep, at the far end of the Pasture, awoke the Master's Dog from his Sleep where he had lain down for the Night upon the clover-covered grass. There were reports of Wolves in the area and the Dog was taking no chances that one of the Flock should be lost because of any inattentiveness on his part.

Fully alert, in set and expectation for Command, the Dog lifted his head and looked about for the Shepherd, his Master's Son, through the gossamer of the Darkening Twilight.

There, perhaps two-hundred feet away, the Dog saw a seated figure with a Shepherd's Crook reclining against a Tree. Although the form in the distance was not clearly defined, obscured by the Haze of Nightfall, the Dog sniffed the air to reassure himself that the Scent emanating from the figure in repose was that of the Shepherd.

And, indeed, it was His Scent. The Dog seeing that the Shepherd was not alarmed by the bleating cries of the Sheep, believed that all was well and lay his head down to resume his Sleep.

However, unable to Sleep because the bleating was increasing in intensity, the Dog made his way over to the Tree to see if the Shepherd was awake, and aware, because something was obviously amiss.

As he approached the seated form, he saw that it was, in fact, not the Shepherd, but a Sheep dressed in the Shepherd's Clothes.

Sickeningly, it all became very clear now. The Wolves, in complicity with the Shepherd-attired Sheep, had killed the True Shepherd.

The Wolves then dressed the Traitorous Sheep in the True Shepherd's Clothing in order to trick the Dog into believing that the Scent of the False Shepherd was that of his Master's Son.

The Wolves did not kill the Dog because, though domesticated, he was of their Bloodline. But to restrain him, the Wolves bound him in Chains, forcing him to witness their murderous, merciless, blood-lusted slaughter of his Master's Sheep.

The Master is due, any day now, to visit his Flock and to embrace the Shepherd, His Son, who is His very Self, and to, once more, experience the joy of having His faithful, loving Dog, His Best Friend, lie at His Feet.

But the Master's joy will change to Immeasurable Wrath when He sees what the Wolves have done. The death of His Son and the killing of His Flock, will not go unavenged.

After casting the Wolves into that Place which has but One Entrance and No Exit, the Master will break the chains which bind His Dog and set him loose to stand Guard, forever, at the Doorway which leads to the Abode of Eternal Torment and Suffering, charging him with:

"LET NO WOLF ESCAPE!"