The Three Pups and the Boar

Once upon a time there were three wolf pups who had wandered from their den in search of adventure. “Mother says to always watch out for hiding places in case of danger,” the oldest said. “What do you think danger looks like?”

“I think danger is a deep river,” the middle pup said.

“I think danger looks like a swarm of bees,” The youngest pup said.

“I think danger is an angry skunk,” the oldest said.   The others laughed.

They continued to explore, watching out for bees and rivers and skunks. The youngest pup found a small cave. “Look!” He told his brothers. “We’d be safe here from danger. It’s dry and we could hide here.”

The middle pup snorted. “I’d climb a tall tree like this one here. Nothing could reach me if I climbed high enough.”

“If I was in danger, I’d run home to Mother,” the oldest pup said. “She’d keep me safe.”

“You’re a scaredy cat,” the middle wolf said.   “Only babies hide behind their moms.”

“I’m older than you,” the oldest pup said, and threw a pinecone at his brother.

“You’re only older by two minutes,” the middle pup said, and threw one back. It hit the youngest pup. Soon they had started a pinecone throwing war and had forgotten why they were fighting in the first place.

A pinecone thrown by the youngest went wide and clattered through the bushes. The older two started to laugh, until they heard an angry roar from the bushes.   “That’s not good,” the oldest pup said.

“To the cave!” The youngest said.

“To the tree!” The middle pup said.

“I’m finding mother,” the oldest pup said.   They scattered.

Moments later, an angry boar came tearing through the bushes. It paused and sniffed the air and then turned towards the cave and charged in. The youngest pup came darting out of the cave with the boar right behind him. The pup scampered up the tree and joined his brother.

“You’re safe now,” the middle pup said. “Boars can’t climb trees.”

“Haha, too slow old boar,” the youngest pup yelled.

The boar charged and rammed the tree with his head.   The tree shook. “Woah!” said the middle pup. “I’m slipping!”

The boar rammed the tree again. “If he does that again,” whispered the youngest pup, “I think I’m going to fall.”

“Me, too,” whispered the middle pup. He did and they did.

Fortunately, at that moment, mother wolf ran into the clearing, growling menacingly. The oldest pup followed close behind her. The younger two pups scampered around their mother to hide with him.

Mother wolf growled a deeper scarier growl. The boar ran. The pups cheered. They stopped when mother wolf turned to look at them. “Boys,” she said. “I thought you knew better than to wander off. What were you thinking?”

“We’re sorry,” they said together.

“I think you’ll all be staying close to the den for a while,” mother wolf said.

“Mom is amazing,” the youngest wolf said. “I bet she could fight off a swarm of bees.”

“Or rescue us from a deep river,” the middle wolf said.

“Or an angry skunk,” the oldest pup said.

“Or an angry boar,” mother wolf said. “Now hush and let’s go home.” And they did.