Saturday, May 01, 2004

A Dog named goose
In the definitive Luther biography by Martin Brecht, (Martin Luther: The Preserver of the Church, vol. 3, p. 22, first paragraph, we are told the name of Luther's dog: Tölpel. The name may mean something like "fool" or "goose" (as in "stupid like a goose"), but Luther was fond of his pet.

In one Table Talk entry we read: When Luther’s puppy happened to be at the table, looked for a morsel from his master, and watched with open mouth and motionless eyes, he [Martin Luther] said, “Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.” (AE 54:37)

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