THE NANNY GOAT AND THE WOLF

Once, in a land called Gündün Rawa, since all the grass was good and all the water sweet, Nanny Goat enjoyed an independent livelihood. Wolf always wanted to eat that Goat, but since she had powerful Old Dog that stayed where she stayed and went where she went, Wolf was unable to eat her.

One day Wolf went to where Vixen was and said, “Sister Fox, o one with a good sheen, there’s no one in this world smarter than you. If you were able to go to the place where Goat and the Old Dog are and push them apart, then, after I kill Goat, we two could eat fresh goat flesh and drink fresh goat blood.”

Then Vixen went to where Goat was and said in a soft and low voice, “Say, Aunt Nanny Goat! Even though you’re an honest and gentle herbivore, the companion who always goes and stays with you is Old Dog, a carnivore who’s rough and spiteful. So, not only do other creatures gossip that you’re like a dog, but it’s time to start thinking that you’re going to turn into Old Dog’s meal one day.”

Goat thought, “There’s a saying:

Talk about affection does not sound good;

Medicine that can overcome illness is bitter.

All of Sister Vixen’s talk is about her deep affection for me.”

She said to Old Dog, “Hey you old mutt! If you and I go around and stay together, not only will the other creatures say I’m like you, but that one day you’ll eat me. So from today on, let’s go to our own places.”

So Old Dog and Nanny Goat went their separate ways. After Old Dog had gone, Wolf came and killed Goat. Sister Vixen and he ate goat meat and drank goat blood and they enjoyed a good lunch.

—Chab 'gag Rdo rje tshe ring, Qinghai Folk Literature 1, 1991