Venus, Juno, and the Dog

[sdi]

There was once a dog who so adored her master that, upon seeing Venus one morning, she wished to be human so that she might more completely love him. Venus took pity upon the dog and granted her wish, changing her into a dazzlingly beautiful girl. When her master saw her, he was so smitten with her that they were married at once. That night, however, in the midst of lovemaking, the howling of dogs sent the dog-girl into a frenzy and she ran to the window and began to howl with them. Her master, seeing this, wailed, "Oh, what have I done!? She has the body of a girl, yet she still has the soul of a dog!"

Seeing her master's sorrow, the dog-girl again beseeched Venus, wishing to bring happiness to her master rather than pain. Venus, not knowing what to do, asked Juno for help. Juno went to the master's house and said to him, "It is true that your bride has the soul of a dog, but so also does she have a dog's heart: her love and faithfulness for you are boundless. If you keep your vows to her, then I will bless your marriage with joy." And so the master agreed to try.

The dog-girl never overcame her canine habits, but her master did his best to overlook these, and in time came to love her as much as she loved him; and so Venus and Juno gave them many happy years together.

Nature cannot be changed, but it can be accepted.