Tooth for a Strong Dog

Sarnai wraps her lost tooth in a piece of mutton fat the way her mother taught her. Outside the ger, Batu the mastiff is waiting — ears up, tail low, nose working. "Eat this and give me a strong new tooth," Sarnai says, holding the little bundle out on her flat palm. Batu sniffs once, twice, then takes it so gently his whiskers barely touch her skin. "Good dog," she whispers. In Mongolia, dogs guard the family, guard the herd, and guard the teeth of children who are brave enough to let go of something small so something stronger can grow in.