Our First Dog

Book excerpt: Our First Dog is a fictionalized account of the domestication of the wolf and its profound impact, first on a small settlement of Stone Age hunters and gatherers, and then on the course of human history. Tork the Bison Butcher, a clever observer of animals, is fascinated by the behavior of a young female wolf which has been rejected by her pack. He brings her home to his family. Initially terrified, his children and their mother are soon enchanted by the animal which they name Star and welcome into the clan, never anticipating the dramatic consequences of their action. Within a brief period, Stars sentry duties and hunting skills provide the family with unprecedented wealth and security. Her contributions alter the established primitive trading patterns in the valley, unleashing jealousy and retribution between competing settlement leadersand within Torks own family. Torks philosophical ponderings on the inter-relationship of all living things prepare the reader for the inevitable clash of forces between competing settlements and reveal that early humans share with us the same aspirations and fundamental questions about life.