The Lighthouse Dog

Alison Mews is co-ordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

When the lighthouse keeper’s wife rows to town to get a new watchdog,
her husband instructs her to also bring back a large pizza. When she
returns with Molly, a huge Newfoundland puppy, he is dismayed; but when
he discovers that Molly has eaten the pizza on the trip back he is even
more perturbed. Then Molly makes a complete nuisance of herself and the
wife sadly agrees to return her. But before she can do that, a storm
blows up and Molly rescues a capsized fisherman. As the fisherman
marvels over his rescue, the lighthouse keeper proudly exclaims,
“That’s what Newfies do,” and Molly’s future is thereby secured
as “the lighthouse dog.”

Dean Griffiths’s energetic sketches with their soft color washes
complement this story perfectly. Molly, with her pink necktie of a
tongue, exudes an innocent but exuberant goodwill throughout, while the
lighthouse keeper maintains a long-suffering expression until the
fisherman’s rescue. Children will identify with the naughty dog/child
whose faults are tolerated and who is loved for her good qualities.
Highly recommended.