What If Dogs Think We Are Immortal¹?

如果在狗狗眼里，人类是不老的神会怎么样？

Someone posted that concept on Tumblr, and the responses that came in brought tears to my eyes.

有人把这个想法分享在Tumblr上，让我感动不已。

"They live so long… but the good ones still bond with us for our entire lives."

“他们活得那么久，但好人仍然和我们一生一世在一起。”

"These immortals² are so kind we must be good friends to them."

“这些不老的神真友好，我们一定要和他们做朋友。”

Many dogs never get to see their owners grow old and weak:

许多狗从来没有看到他们的主人变衰老：

"Now I am old. The fur around my muzzle³ is grey and my joints⁴ ache when we walk together. Yet she remains⁵ unchanged, her hair still glossy⁶, her skin still fresh, her step still sprightly⁷. Time doesn’t touch her and yet I love her still."

“现在我老了。我鼻口周围的毛变成了灰色。当我们一起走的时候，我的关节疼痛不已。然而她依然没有变老，她的头发依然是那么有光泽，她的皮肤依然是那么的嫩滑，她的步伐依然是那么的轻快。岁月在她身上没有留下痕迹，而我也仍然爱她。”

But some do:

但是有些狗这样想到：

"For generations, he has guarded over my family. Since the days of my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather he has kept us safe. For so long we thought him immortal. But now I see differently, for just as my fur grows gray and my joints grow stiff, so too do his. I will be the last that he cares for. My only hope is that I am able to last until his final moments. The death of one of his kind is so rare. The ending of a life so long is such a tragedy. He has seen so much, he knows so much. I know he takes comfort in my presence. I only wish that I will be able to give him this comfort until the end."

世世代代以来，他一直守护着我的家。自从我曾曾曾曾曾祖父开始，他一直保护着我们。这么久了以至于我们以为他是长生不老的。但现在我有了不同的看法，因为正如我的皮毛会变灰，我的关节会变得僵硬，他也会像我一样会变老。我将成为他最后一个关心照顾的狗了。我唯一的希望就是我能坚持到他生命的最后一刻。他们的死亡对于我们来说太罕见了。这么长的人生就这样终结了，这是多么大的悲剧啊。他饱经世故，他知识渊博。我知道他在我面前能够感受到慰藉。我只希望能一直给他这种安慰直到最后一刻。”