Faithful Trezor by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. Short summary

5 seconds

The faithful dog Trezor served his master well, giving up other canine pleasures. When the dog grew old, his master had him drowned and took another dog to serve him.

1 minute

The dog Trezor guarded the merchant Vorotilov’s property: he did not let strangers close, barked at them and could even bite them. Praise the master he liked, and he tried even harder to please, guard to the conscience, lost interest in the games with children and other canine amusements. He took beatings and missed meals for granted, trying his best to earn his praise.

Once an important guest (a private bailiff) visited Vorotilov, the master wanted to clamp down on the guard dog, but the guest praised the dog, saying that some people should serve the dog. The master set up checks on his guard, dressed up as a thief and tried to bribe the dog with bread and sausage. But he was always convinced of his loyalty and incorruptibility: despite the offered treats, the dog raised such a barking that the neighbors ran away.

When Trezor grew old, his master moved him into the kitchen. But when the dog’s health began to fail, Vorotilov ordered the decrepit guard to be drowned. To replace Trezor, the master took a new puppy, Arapka.