Brian Wildsmith

Hunter and His Dog Brian Wildsmith

A hunter teaches his new duck-hunting partner to retrieve sticks and carry eggs gently in his mouth without breaking them. But from their first hunting trip, the dog cannot bear to retrieve the wounded birds for his master. Instead, he brings sticks back to the hunter and takes the ducks to an island where they can heal. One night, the hunter discovers the secret after he follows his dog to the island where he delivers daily bread to the ducks. The hunter is ashamed. He follows the example of his tender-hearted dog and nurses the birds back to health before setting them free.

The reissue of this story of compassion is brightly illustrated with his characteristically colorful paintings. Readers will note that the hunter is dressed like a clown and may infer that the dog is wiser than his master.