Noah called his boat an ark. When he finished it, he rounded up all the animals, two by two, to travel on his ark. People laughed at Noah's opossums and panthers and penguins. They laughed at his cheetahs and chinchillas, giraffes and gazelles, and rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses.
Into the ark went all the animals, two by two.
Pretty soon, it started to rain. It rained, and it poured, and it rained
some more.
People stopped laughing and the ark started floating. Noah and his family and all the animals, two by two, rode safely on the waters. They sailed for 40 days and 40 nights. When the rains stopped, out of the ark came Noah and his family and all of the animals, two by two. Except one. No one could find the little dog.
Noah searched everywhere. He looked on the first deck. He looked on the
second deck, then the third deck. Finally, in the farthest corner in the
lowest deck, he found the little dog. The dog was shivering and standing
with his nose pressed hard against the side of the boat.
Come here, little dog!" called Noah. "It's time to come out! Here,
doggie, doggie!"
The little dog wouldn't move. Noah gently pulled him away.
"What's this?" said Noah. "A hole in the ark! The ark
might have sunk! Little dog!
You kept us safe - me, my family, and all of the animals, two by two!
With your little nose!" The little dog was proud. But mostly, he was
hungry."Little dog," said Noah, as he pulled out a juicy bone, so all
the world and all the generations will know your great deed, your nose will
always be cold and wet, just as it is today."
That's how the dog got his cold, wet nose. When you feel it, remember the little dog who used his nose to protect Noah, his family, and all of the animals, two by two.
~~author unknown~~