The Tale of the Lemur and the Shrew
'The human species possesses the endowment of fire,' quoth the Lemur. 'We, too, stand in exigency of such a marvel!'
'I shall embark upon an expedition to purloin a portion of this fire,' declared the Shrew, 'whilst you remain in situ, awaiting my timely return.'
The Shrew, venturing forth into the human settlement, chanced upon a hearth wherein a faintly incandescent ember did reside.
He pursed his diminutive lips and emitted a gentle breath.
Thereafter, he exhaled with augmented vigour, until, at long last, the nascent fire did attain considerable potency.
The Shrew, returning with the prize of fire, espied the Lemur, steadfastly awaiting his arrival with orbs dilated in anticipation.
'Your eyes have undergone a most remarkable enlargement!' exclaimed the Shrew.
'And thy snout hath undergone an analogous augmentation in length!' retorted the Lemur.
Thus it is that the Shrew doth possess a proboscis of considerable length, whilst the Lemur's visual organs are characterised by their conspicuous dimensions.
The Genesis of Fire
In the primaeval epoch, there existed a prodigious arboreal specimen.
From this arboreal matrix, akin to a gestational chamber, emerged all of humankind and the entirety of the animal kingdom.
An all-encompassing obscurity prevailed, enveloping the terrestrial sphere in its tenebrous embrace.
A darkness comparable to the depth of midnight.
Subsequently, a member of the human species kindled a conflagration. The resultant flames illuminated the pervasive gloom.
Overwhelmed by trepidation, the zoological inhabitants dispersed in a disordered fashion, retreating into the obscurity.
To this present day, the animalia remain apprehensive of the anthropogenic fire, and homo sapiens continue to ignite nocturnal fires with the express intention of deterring these creatures.
It is this mastery over fire that confers upon humanity a dominion over the animal kingdom: the capacity to artificialize fire.
Absent this endowment, the animalia would be devoid of trepidation.
Concerning Beasts and the Conflagration
In the nascent epoch, the denizens of the animal kingdom inhabited the woodlands.
Thereafter, Providence summoned forth the beasts, exclaiming, “Attend!” Whereupon the creatures duly presented themselves.
Subsequently, the Almighty erected a considerable pyre.
The assembled fauna, seized by trepidation, retreated precipitously into the arboreal expanse.
“I harbour no apprehension!”, the bovine creature vociferated.
“I am devoid of fear!”, the ovine beast proclaimed.
“Fear holds no dominion over me!”, the caprine animal bleated forth.
The Divine Being, in approbation, bestowed benedictions upon these valorous beasts, pronouncing, “Henceforth, ye shall dwell in propinquity with humankind. Humanity shall furnish sustenance unto you, and ye, in turn, shall nourish humanity, and all shall find solace and warmth by the hearth, secure from the savage denizens of the forest.”
The Jackal Dispatches the Dog to Procure Fire
'I find myself in the throes of hunger,' quoth the Jackal to the Dog, his fraternal companion. 'Pray, repair to the village and fetch fire. We shall ignite the herbage and thereby capture locusts for our repast.'
The Dog, in compliance, proceeded to the village and entered a dwelling. Within, a woman was engaged in the administration of pap to her infant. Deftly, she extracted a portion of the gruel from the pot and offered it to the Dog.
Verily, the gruel proved to be of delectable flavour!
Thus, the Dog elected to remain in the village.
The Jackal, in a state of expectancy, awaited the Dog's return, yet he tarried not. The Jackal emitted a doleful howl, exclaiming, 'I dispatched the Dog for fire, yet he has not returned! Never, I say! Neeeeeee-veeeeeeeer!'
It is said that one may yet hear the lamentations of the famished Jackal.
The Dog, in contentment, abode in the village where sustenance was readily available.
The Dogs of Long Ago
In bygone eras, the canine race bore a semblance to mankind, dwelling in villages, tending to cattle, and partaking in the institution of matrimony, thus begetting progeny.
Oftentimes, relations between dogs and men were characterised by bellicose engagements.
Upon one occasion, the men didst launch a raid upon the dogs' village, purloining all their kine.
The dogs, incensed by this outrage, mounted a counter-offensive to reclaim their cattle, yet the men, with cunning artifice, ascended into the arboreal heights and cast down sand into the dogs' very eyes.
Undaunted, the dogs renewed their assault; yet again, the men employed the same perfidious tactic, flinging sand into their orbs.
Thus blinded by the gritty particles, the dogs were rendered incapable of retracing their steps to their own village, and were forevermore lost to their kin.
And it came to pass that dogs were thenceforth reduced to a state of servitude under the dominion of men.