Barry

Today fine roads lead over the high mountains of Switzerland. Snow plows keep the roads open even in the worst weather. But it wasn't always this way. Before the roads were built is was often very hard to cross over the mountains in winter. The only way was through some of the passes or pathways between the high peaks. One of these passes was called the Great St. Bernard Pass. At the highest point of the pass stood a big stone building. This was the monastery of Great St. Bernard. Monks had lived there for hundreds of years. They helped people travel safely in the mountains. Sometimes the monks led travelers along the narrow path through the pass. And sometimes, when wild storms raged, they searched for those who might be lost.

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This could be very dangerous work. A group of big shaggy St. Bernards also lived at the monastery. This is the story of one of those dogs. His name was Barry. 

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Barry was born in the spring of 1800. The monks were excellent dog trainers. Barry first had to learn how to obey. He learned to come, to sit and lie down. He learned how to walk in the deep snow. He learned how to turn his big paws outward--and spread the pads of his paws to keep from sinking in the snow. At first he still sank in up to his belly. But after a while he could walk on the snowy crust without breaking through. Barry learned to lead people through the mountain passageways even when the narrow pathway buried under many feet of snow. And he learned one of the hardest lessons -- to find people who might be lost in the storm.

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If a person could walk, Barry led him back to the monastery. In the instance a person was hurt or weakened by the cold Barry raced back to the monastery to lead the monks back to the spot. He also learned to search for people who were lost under the snow. Some times an avalanche would break free from one of the high peaks. It would come crashing down the mountain and bury anyone who was in its path. The