Meanwhile I lay flat on my belly as Arsylang slipped away. With each breath, sensation and strength drained from that arm of mine that his life depended on. I realized that one span of ground was all that was left, and I was terrifi d that it, too, would soon slide from us. Arsylang would slip from my fingers no matter how hard I dug into his coat. I would never see him again, just as I would never see Grandma again. I would be left alone with my flock, which had itself been beset by heavy losses. I would watch for Brother and Sister alone, and I would walk toward them alone when they came home. This would be my future. It had just begun.

My mind told me as much. But at the bottom of my heart I had not accepted these thoughts, nor did I want to. With everything in my power I resisted.

Then another stubborn thought came to mind: What if Arsylang’s hindlegs were to step into the abyss and out of sheer terror he’d bite into my sleeve to hang on? Panic overcame me and left me feeling sick. But still, I was not willing to let go of the dog to save myself.

Convulsed with fear, I began to pray in a low voice: “FATHER SKY AND MOTHER EARTH! HEAR ME AND STAND BY ME: GIVE MY ARM THE STRENGTH TO HOLD THIS DOG WHERE HE IS NOW, AND THE STRENGTH NOT TO LET HIM MOVE A FINGER’S WIDTH FURTHER!” At that moment I heard a shout. It was Father’s voice: “Hang on—I’m on the way! Hang on—I’m on the way!”

The miracle! flashed through my mind. I was overcome by gratitude for the sky’s mercy, and new tears welled up in my eyes. All the same, I did not forget that I now needed to hold fast even more. And so I did. Meanwhile Father crept toward us, apparently on tiptoe. I missed the moment he reached me and was startled when he grabbed my knees from behind. As I learned later, he had thought the dog was clinging to me with his teeth and wanted to reach us unnoticed.

When he pulled me to him, I screamed: “Not me! Get Arsylang!” He grabbed for Arsylang and seized one of his front paws. Now we were pulling together. Arsylang looked half dead already. His pupils were gaping but empty as if the blaze behind them had burned itself out. His body seemed lifeless when we poked it, and it was beginning to turn stiff. “Ej, for Heaven’s sake,” Father lashed out. “He must have swallowed some poison. It’s too late to do anything about it. Thank goodness the worst hasn’t happened to you, my little one!”