Nancy Levine - The Ugly Pugling: Wilson the Pug in Love

Copyright 2018 by Nancy Levine

First published in 2007 by Viking Studio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Daniel Lagin

Cover photograph by Nancy Levine

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-1444-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-1448-9

Printed in China

ALSO BY WILSON THE PUG WITH NANCY LEVINE

The Tao of Pug
Homer for the Holidays
Letters to a young Pug

For you, O my Best Beloved

Table of Contents

Introduction

H ello. My name is Wilson the Pug. As some of you may know, I am a Taoist pug, descended from a long lineage of Taoist pugs, dating back to around 500 B.C. in ancient China. Way back then, my greatest great grandfather Pug-tzu was the canine companion and inspiration for Lao-tzu, the wise old philosopher who wrote the Tao-te Ching, the ancient Chinese book of wisdom.

It was during the writing of the classic text that Lao-tzu and Pug-tzu both found true love. It happened one day while Pug-tzu and Lao-tzu were lounging in a field of lilies not far from their village. Lao-tzu was pondering a philosophical dilemma and looked into Pug-tzus deep brown eyes as he always did when trying to solve a puzzle.

Oh my little puggled friend, said Lao-tzu, my Tao-te Ching is all but complete except for a word on love. What shall we say?

Just then a fair widow from the village happened to wander into the same field with her companion dog, a huge but gentle beast named Woo. The fair widow and her dog stopped and bade them a sweet hello. Lao-tzu was instantly smitten with the widow, as Pug-tzu was with the giant Woo. The lovely lady and her companion passed through the field and out of sight as if an apparition of beauty.

Lao-tzu and Pug-tzu stared at each other, open-mouthed, dumbfounded, as if struck by Cupid-tzus arrow. Lao-tzu wondered aloud, She is so beautiful. She would never be interested in a plain old man like me. What shall I do, little pug, as I feel myself instantly smitten, though impossibly so?

Pug-tzu stared back into his friends eyes and cocked his head from side to side as pugs are wont to do.

Yes! You are right again, my wrinkled-browed friend! as the old man scribbled a note onto a tiny piece of parchment for inclusion in his Tao-te Ching. The Master acts on what he feels and not what he sees.

Lao-tzu and Pug-tzu returned to their village, where the old man conjured up the courage to call upon the fair widow. She told Lao-tzu she would welcome his company and wanted nothing more than to enjoy the plain and simple. He included this thought in his book of wisdom as an homage to her.

Lao-tzu and Pug-tzu spent much time over the next several months appropriately courting the fair widow and her dog, Woo. In spite of their great differences in beauty and size, respectively, the couples love prevailed, as it always does. Lao-tzu took the widows hand in marriage and they spent the rest of their days together, Pug-tzu and Woo by their sides, a contented (though perhaps a mite quirky) family.

Inspired by his passion for Woo, Pug-tzu handed down this lesson of the ages to the pugs that followed. The wisdom of love was relayed from pug to pug to pug down through the years until it finally rested upon my furry shoulders.

This, then, is the story of how I met my true love, Hedy, and how I learned firsthand what happens when the Master acts on what he feels and not what he sees. Please, wont you join me?

WILSON THE PUG

S he was the most beautiful pug Id ever seen.

I met Hedy one day in the park, quite by happenstance. We both stopped to sniff a certain savory spot in the grass, and when we looked up, our gazes locked as tightly as a crate door.

Hedy was unlike the other pugs Id met before. With her big, floppy ears, prominent muzzle, and huge paws, she was a vision of loveliness.

W e spent that day in the park, just lolling about in the grass.

Hedy whispered to me of her hopes and dreams. Maybe someday we can share a plateful of cookies, she said, revealing a deliciously robust appetite. Her soft snuffles played in my ear like a melody.

A t dusk on that magical day, I walked Hedy home to her front door.

I had a wonderful time with you today, I told her. May I see you again?

But Wilson, she said, we are so very different. You are so handsome, and I am rather a homely pug.

You are the fairest pug I have ever seen, I assured her. Who is to say what is beautiful and what is not?

And with this, we shared a kiss I shall never forget.

W e met in the park again soon thereafter. I gave Hedy a yin-yang jacket that had belonged to my great grandmother pug. Legend had it that the jacket would fit only the pug who was destined to be my true love. It suited Hedy perfectly, as though it had been custom made for her.

She whispered, Thank you, Wilson, the jacket is beautiful, and I will treasure it always, adding, As it is written, a kind heart makes the giving good .

I knew then, without a doubt, I had found my true love.

B ut one day Hedy stopped coming to the park. Days became weeks. My curly tail wilted. I wondered what had happened to her.

I went to Hedys house every day and sat in front of her door for hours. Little did I know that she was inside, staring out at me the whole time through the doors glass pane.

Something had happened to her.