Indian Creek Smokey- A Black and Tan Blood Hound. An old friend from long ago.

    

Good humor is of course is instilled in humans by our creator

And I believe that God also shares this trait and so with this in mind I present the story of the Noble Black and Tan Hounds.

The Sixth Day

It is said in the Good Book that God created the heavens, the Earth, the creatures of the land and finally created man in his own image. But I have often wondered which animal he created first and so I reckon after much thought on the matter, God decided between the horse and dog. I believe the dog won out, but then he faced another dilemma, which breed to create first? Was it the poodle? I think not, perhaps he considered the Rat Terrier, but failed to act and put off this project for awhile and completed every thing else including man.

The sixth day must have been a long one as he pondered over the small mound of dirt at his feet. The Collie dog came to mind and was a likely candidate, for the love and devotion was deeply inherent in this beautiful animal and truly an inspiration of God. But in the end the Collie came in a close second. God smiled at last and then gently touched the mound of dirt and watched as the first long eared, bony framed, gentle eyed Black and Tan raised its magnificent head and bawled. God liked the hound so much he quickly created a mate for the first one. It took only a few seconds to realize the hounds were without purpose and sent them running into the woods to trail the opossums, squirrels, bobcats and all the other wild critters that Black and Tans love to trail.

God was so pleased with the hounds he wanted to immediately share them with others and so he instilled in Adam the desire to be with the hounds.

God was pleased and fixed up an old shack in the center of a beautiful track of land for Adam and Eve and called it Eden. This did not set well with Eve, for she didn’t particularly care for the hounds, but was kind to them and agreed to let them sleep on the front porch of the shack.

Hunting was rather limited in Eden and it wasn’t long until the hounds were straying into the adjoining countryside. Of course Adam went with the hounds and again this did not set well with Eve.

Eve asked God what she could do to make Adam stay at home more, especially in the evenings. He smiled and said to her not to worry for Adam was a responsible man and eventually he would straighten out.

God cautioned Eve about trying to discourage Adam from running with the hounds and forbade her from tempting Adam with freshly baked apple pies.

Eve was determined to discourage Adam from spending so much with the hounds. One day while alone in the shack and with the faint bawl of the hounds ringing in her ears she proceeded to bake an apple pie. Along about sunrise Adam and the hounds returned. They were noticeable weary from the long night of hunting and in need of food and rest. Adam had become a true hound dog man and before he entered the shack he removed all the ticks from the dogs fed them a generous helping of pork rinds and turnip greens and bedded them down on the front porch.

Adam went into the shack, his overalls caked with river mud and smelling very much like the hounds.  Eve smiled with a devilish gleam in her eyes and sat before him a warm apple pie. She cut a huge portion of it and handed it to him and watched as he hungrily devoured the forbidden fruit.

 It is only fair to note that Adam wasn’t as innocent as he appeared to be, for he knew Gad did not want him indulging in apple pie. He didn’t know why but was quite aware of the rule. Like all good hound dog men after a night’s hunt he never turned down fried chicken, mashed potatoes and red eye gravy and especially Eve’s freshly baked apple pie.

After gorging himself on the meal, Adam reluctantly agreed to limit the hunts with the hounds to three nights a week, if Eve would continue baking the pies. Pleased, Eve agreed. They promised not to tell God.

But as is well known, God knows all and a few days later he sent Adam and Eve packing along with the hounds.

God informed Adam he would now have to work for a living. Adam was devastated, for he knew this would take him away from time with the hounds.

God informed Eve she would now bear Adam’s children and ironically encouraged her to continue baking apple pies. The rest of story is history, except for one little known fact. Adam and Eve made their way to Arkansas by way of the Red River, and then headed north to the Niangua River Basin where they settled. Adam split rails for a living, but on Saturday nights he always went hunting with the Black and Tan Hounds. Adios