Barking Dogs
by Peretz Wolf-Prusan
as written in the anthology "Chosen Tales", edited by Peninnah Shram

On a shoddy street in a sad district of a great city, an old man closed his butcher shop. He was not known to many, and his shop had but a few customers. He latched the door, hitched his collar up against the cold, and went home, where he died in his sleep.

He died, as it would happen, at the same moment that a famous manufacturer, surrounded by family, friends, and servants, died in his sleep. Both souls appeared in heaven at the same time.

The famous man and the butcher stood side by side and watched in amazement as a multitude of cheering angels approached. They surrounded and sang to them. As one, the angels lifted the butcher on their shoulders and carried him away for his reward in this, the world to come.

"What," the manufacturer said aloud, "is this! I know who I am! I have given and given, whenever asked. Just call me, and I gave! My name is on plaques and proclamations all over the land! Who was this they carried away?"

An angel, sent to walk with the manufacturer to his reward, asked "Do the
dogs bark at night in your city?"

"No," the manufacturer replied, "as a matter of fact, they do not." "It is because of that one," the angel replied. "He would feed the dogs scraps of meat each night. You gave when asked. That one gave dogs food before they barked."