animal-return story, told from points of view of the various animals (dog and two - later three - mules) and of some of the people involved in this segment of their lives. although the creatures face various dangers and hardships and malevolences, they do not die. care has been taken to try to present the animals' mental states in a true manner (ie, according to what is scientifically known in the late 1970s about their senses and means of handling situations). not all human issues are resolved.