Benny the Dachshund

Benny the Dachshund lived in house No: 5. He was popular in the neighbourhood as the ‘Sausage Dog’, because of the shape of his body.

House No: 6 was right opposite Benny’s house. There was a huge Alsatian dog in that house called, Brutus. The house right next to Benny’s had a small puppy who had been rescued from the street by the people who lived in that house.

Every morning Benny would see Brutus wearing his leash and walking down the street with his owner. Brutus was a former police dog and was very well trained and disciplined. Benny would look at Brutus with admiration. Brutus looked so big and strong. He had a erce and proud look. He never bothered to stop and look at any other dog or bark without a reason, like most of the other neighbourhood dogs.

The little puppy next-door was called Brownie. He’d bark continuously at Brutus to get some attention, whenever he saw him. “Hey there! Hello! Hello! Look this way!” he’d bark. But Brutus would walk away smartly, without paying any attention.

Benny always wished that he was also as tall and as handsome as Brutus. But he was short and long like a little sausage with a head and legs. Benny sighed, feeling disappointed with himself. “If only I was also as big and strong as Brutus!” he thought, “then others would stare at me with respect, like they do when they see Brutus.”

One morning Brownie was barking like mad when he saw Brutus. “He never looks at anybody!” said Benny trying to calm down the excited puppy. Brownie peeped through the little gap between his gate to look at Benny.

“Uncle Brutus is so smart,” he said. “Someday I also want to grow up as big as him!” Benny shook his head doubtfully, knowing that the little puppy would never grow as big as an Alsatian. But he didn’t say anything.

“Uncle Benny, you should also eat all your food. Then you will also become big like Uncle Brutus,” said the little puppy. Benny sighed and walked away thinking, “when can a Sausage Dog become as mighty as an Alsatian?”

“Hey Uncle Benny!” barked the small puppy, when he saw Benny the next morning. He pressed his tiny face through the gap in the gate and talked excitedly. “Today my owner said that I’ve become too big for my collar and he had to adjust it!” “That’s good,” said Benny, “you are growing up fast!” “Yes, soon I’ll be as big as Uncle Brutus,” said the small puppy. “He’s so smart. I want to be just like him. He is my hero!”

Benny wished that he too could be someone’s role model, a hero like Brutus. “But who’d want to be like a Sausage Dog?” he thought sadly.

Benny lay down near the fence and stared at the road from under the gate. He could see Brutus walking down the street with his owner. Benny widened his big brown eyes and stared at the Alsatian’s tall legs and proud eyes.

“I wish that I was an Alsatian,” he wished for the hundredth time.

“I am useless the way I am, with my short stubby legs and long body.” He closed his eyes and fell asleep feeling disappointed and sad.

Benny woke up for the barking of the puppy. “He’s probably trying to catch

Brutus’ attention!” he thought. But Brownie’s barking seemed to come from afar and it sounded as if he was in trouble. “Help! Help!” yelped Brownie. Benny looked at Brownie’s gate. It was open. “Oh, no! Brownie must have run away and gotten into trouble somewhere,” shouted Benny. “Brownie needs help!”

Brutus was running this way and that way. He tried to creep out through his gate grill, but he was too big. “The little dog is in trouble,” he shouted, “he needs help!” But he couldn’t nd a spot to creep out.

Benny started to dig up the ground right below his gate. There was a small gap there. After he dug, there was enough space for him to creep out. Benny ran towards where Brownie was yelping from. Brownie had fallen into a drain. He couldn’t climb out on his own. But Benny’s long body was very helpful to slowly reach down and pull the puppy up, from his collar.

“Thank you so much Uncle Benny!” said Brownie giving Benny a big hug. “You saved me. You are my hero!” Benny blushed. He never imagined that anyone would ever call him a hero. When Benny brought Brownie home, he advised Brownie to never run away from home again and Brownie agreed.

“Hey Benny,” said Brutus poking his nose through a small crack in his wall, “Good job!”

“Thank you Brutus!” said Benny,

“It was no big deal, really,” he said blushing, after receiving this unexpected compliment from Brutus.

“Because I am so big, I couldn’t nd a way to come out. But thanks to your perfect body, you could creep out and help Brownie in time. You are indeed a hero! Well done!” Benny felt so happy and proud to get such a compliment from Brutus.

Brownie too stared at Benny with appreciation. “Uncle Benny is a true hero!” he said wagging his tiny tail.

Benny went back home feeling very happy and content. And for the rst time in his life he felt happy to be a Sausage Dog.