In the tranquil mountains of Hartola, where the majestic Himalayas stand watch over the mountains and valleys and birds fill the air with songs, Katie, along with Chloe, was having a quiet day. It had been months since her last adventure and she had recovered fully from the injury she had suffered back then. Known for her bravery throughout Hartola and its adjacent villages, Katie had become quite a legendary hero for the villagers. While Katie never sought out adventure, it had a way of finding her.
This afternoon, as she lay on her soft bed, she heard her human parents and the caretaker discussing the mysterious disappearance of the cows from the villages.
“They have vanished without a trace,” the caretaker said, sounding troubled. “Nobody knows who could be behind this. Last evening itself two of Rohit’s cows disappeared.”
“They can’t just disappear into thin air,” Katie’s human father said, concern writ large on his face.
“Somebody must be stealing them,” Katie’s human mom added. “We should at least inform the police and let them know what’s going on.”
Hearing their discussion, Katie’s ears perked up as she felt a quiet determination already building up inside her. Without batting an eyelid, she decided that she would set out early the next morning, trusting her nose to pick up their scent and follow their trails along the steep mountain paths to bring back the cows and also to solve the mystery behind the disappearances. However, she knew that to track the stolen cows, she would need the wisdom of a special guide—the legendary Sarama, the divine dog of the Gods. Many a time Katie had heard about this mythological dog during her visits to the temple on the topmost point of Hartola. There, on a couple of occasions she had heard the priest mention Sarama, who is referred to as the female dog of the gods, or Deva-shuni. Katie had heard the priest say that Sarama’s name first appears in one of Hinduism’s earliest texts, the Rig Veda, in which she helps the king of the Gods, Indra to recover divine cows stolen by the Panis asuras.
Early next morning, Katie set off on her journey. She didn’t want her parents to worry about her and stop her from going, so she left the cottage just as the night sky began to become light and the white peaks in the distance were becoming visible—much before her parents and little sister were awake. Katie’s journey took her several days through dense forests, up steep slopes, and across snowy paths. It was a treacherous and dangerous journey, but her determination never wavered, even as she climbed higher into the mountains.
After four days of navigating treacherous terrain, Katie finally reached an ancient temple tucked away on a mountaintop. The huge wooden doors of the temple were open and a huge stone idol of Lord Indra stood in the sanctum sanctorum. Although one could sense that humans, in all probability, had never set foot in the temple, yet there was a fire lit in front of the idol, the oil fed by some natural source from inside the mountain that reached the havan kund via meandering furrows cut into the stone. The idol of Lord Indra surprisingly wore a garland, the flowers so fresh they seemed to have been plucked and made just that very day.
The waterfall coming from the clouds
Adjacent to the temple, was a waterfall, the source of the water so high up beyond the clouds that it seemed to be coming from Heaven itself. Katie stood beneath it and as the water dripped down her body, all her tiredness seemed to ebb and the water acted as a balm to her weary soul. Feeling invigorated, she gave her body a good shake, bowed before the idol and looked around to see if she could find any signs of Sarama. As she took a round of the temple, she saw Sarama sitting near the entrance of the temple, her thick snow-white coat shining against the fire. Sarama’s deep blue eyes radiated an enchanting aura, and one could see that she was in a state of calm and supreme wisdom, as if she carried the serenity of the mountains and the knowledge of the ages within her gaze. With a silent appeal for guidance, Katie was about to convey her need for help to find the lost cows, but Sarama knew.
“I have been waiting for you for quite some time,” she said in a calm voice. “I also know why you have come. I see your resolve and courage so I will definitely help you in your quest. But it will be a taxing journey. So, you will rest today and we will begin our journey early tomorrow.”
Katie closed her eyes and bowed and when she lifted her head Sarama was gone. Katie curled up near the fire and immediately sleep overpowered her.
The next day, they began their journey at dawn, moving purposefully through the valleys and hidden paths, with Sarama leading the way. Katie, grateful for her guidance, followed closely, learning from Sarama’s sure-footedness and intuition. For two days, they travelled together, covering ground that only a spirit as wise and powerful as Sarama could navigate. Katie sensed that Sarama had an unerring knowledge of where the cows were.
The stolen cows tied in short leash by the cow thieves
On the third day, at dawn, they reached a hidden valley surrounded by towering peaks, where the missing cows stood, tied with short ropes. Nearby, the thieves lay asleep beside a dying fire in a thatched hut, their weapons scattered around them.
“Go,” whispered Sarama, “release them.”
Cows escaping the cattle thieves after Katie untied them
Katie’s heart raced as she approached the cows quietly, untying them one by one with her teeth and urging them to follow her to safety.
But just as the herd began climbing the mountain, a loose rock tumbled down with a loud clatter, jolting the thieves awake. Realizing their stolen cows were escaping, they grabbed their weapons. Spears and arrows flew through the air, but Katie, undeterred, urged the cows to continue. She looked down and saw one of the thieves aiming a rifle, his sights set on the herd. Summoning all her strength, she charged at him. She leaped at him with all her might and clamped down on his arm with her sharp teeth before he could take aim. He let out a pained scream and flung her from him with great force. The thief quickly scrambled to his feet, firing a shot that narrowly missed Katie. Another bullet grazed her paw, and the pain shot through her like a raging fire. Still, she pressed on.
Sarama the mythological dog howling to scare off cow thieves
Sarama heard Katie’s yelp of pain and felt a fierce anger surge through her. She let out a loud growl. As she growled, she grew in size, towering over the valley, her growls echoing off the mountains. The ground trembled beneath her. Hearing her thunderous roar and seeing Katie on the ground her paw bleeding profusely, the cows charged down the mountain towards the thieves. The sight of Sarama’s colossal form and the stampeding herd sent the thieves into a panicked retreat. They dropped their weapons and scattered, fleeing in all directions.
Cows running down the mountain to save Katie
With the thieves gone, Sarama returned to her usual size and hurried to Katie’s side. Katie, despite her injury, held the rifleman to the ground until he finally broke free and fled up the mountain behind his scared gang.
Just then, the sound of men shouting and talking loudly floated towards them. As the sound kept getting louder and seemed to be coming in their direction down the mountain slope into the valley, Sarama nodded at Katie as if to say that her work there was done and she disappeared into thin air in a flash of blinding light. As the men came into sight, it was then that Katie realised that they were villagers from her beloved Hartola and that all this while they had been quite close to home! The villagers must have formed a search party to look for the missing cattle and had been probably alerted by the gunfire and Sarama’s otherworldly growl. The men, after several minutes arrived at the scene. They quickly understood what had happened and gathered around Katie with deep admiration and gratitude.
They wrapped her injured paw with a rag and carefully placed her on the back of one of the cows to carry her home. Some villagers stayed behind to gather the rest of herd and search for any remaining thieves, while the others accompanied Katie back to Hartola.
Katie the black English cocker spaniel of Hartola hurt by the bullet of a cow thief
By the end of the day, every perpetrator was nabbed and handed over to the police. Meanwhile, the team bringing Katie home too reached the village. Katie’s human parents rushed out to meet her, their relief and love evident in the way they fussed over her. They gently brought her inside, where the village vet was already present. He tended to her wounded paw and gave her a shot to ease the pain. Katie was soon in the comfort of her familiar warm soft bed, her concerned sister Chloe beside her, sniffing and wagging her tail. Despite the pain, Katie felt satisfied that she could help the villagers once again.
In the days that followed, the villagers frequently came by to call upon Katie, bringing her favourite treat—paneer. Katie shared each piece with her little sister, Chloe, who had missed her terribly during her absence.
From that day on, Katie’s tale of courage and valour was shared across Hartola and the neighbouring villages, a story that would live on as a reminder of loyalty, bravery, and the bond between the protector and protected. Only Katie knew about Sarama’s divine intervention and wagged her tail every time she relived the incident in her mind.
