Fifteen Dogs

“Interesting,” said Hermes, “what it would be like if animals had human minds.”

“I’ll bet a year of service,” Apollo said, “that if animals gained a human mind, they’d become even more miserable than people.”

That’s how it all began. A bet in a bar between the gods Hermes and Apollo led them to grant human consciousness and language to fifteen dogs.

Having gained new abilities, the dogs can’t find peace. Some try to ignore this gift, wanting to remain part of the dog pack; others accept the change. The gods watch as the dogs attempt to explore the human world—how they end up in deadly hatred with each other, and each struggles with new thoughts and feelings. The cunning Benjy moves from house to house; the Prince becomes a poet; and Majnun builds understanding with a human on some deep level.

So which of the gods will win the bet? And will any of the dogs who received this amazing gift be happy by the end of their lives?