
In a secluded Alpine hospice, a litter of fluffy St. Bernard puppies discovers the weight of a centuries‑old heritage. Prince Jan, the round‑bodied, brown‑eyed youngster, and his brother Rollo spend their days tumbling together and listening to the venerable Bruno, who recounts heroic rescues that have defined their breed. The gentle humor of their play contrasts with the solemn legends of dogs guiding lost travelers through snow‑bound passes.
As the puppies grow, their mother reminds them of the exacting standards their ancestors set: a keen nose, sturdy legs, and an unwavering sense of duty. Through stories of ice‑bridges and heroic sacrifices, the young dogs learn that their future will demand courage and self‑lessness in the face of winter’s fury. Listeners are drawn into the tender preparation for the moment when Jan must prove himself a true guardian of the mountains.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (185K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Audrey Longhurst, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net.
Release date
2005-02-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1867–1932
A writer of Western and frontier stories, she published books that followed long overland journeys and life on the American trail. Her work still turns up in classic-library catalogs, where it stands out for its sense of movement, place, and adventure.
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