(Title from the lyrics of a song called “Animal Grace,” composed by singer-songwriter, Laura Nyro, that appears in her last DVD collection, “Angel In The Dark.”)
This is an unusual article to find on a horse racing site, even though its subject is the deep attachment between human and animal. I know that THE VAULT’S readers will understand why it belongs here, among the stories of thoroughbreds we love.
…Last night, Jericho Braveheart, our Spirit Dog, died in the arms of my son and myself. In attendance at our home was our vet, a man who himself was sent by some loving and benevolent spirit to the animals and humans in his care.
For the last three days of his life, people in our community whom he knew and loved appeared, like a band of angels. His first dog walker when he was only a baby — the elderly couple who take coffee every afternoon at Second Cup and who reminded Jericho daily that ” … you are our dog, too” — the children in our building who got their very first dog because they had fallen in love with Jericho — our “flower lady,” Mrs. Kim, who Jericho adored and who kept biscuits for him in her flower shop. And on it went.
It was hard not to notice Jericho. He walked with a brace on his right foreleg for most of his 11 years,8 months, the result of a freak car accident that almost killed him. The vets who attended him after the accident said it was a miracle that he “came back to us” as the dog he had always been, in terms of temperament and personality. Apparently, this often doesn’t happen when an animal survives trauma. But not only did Jericho come back, he resurged with gusto and a renewed tenderness for family, friends, children and strangers who needed a little love and kindness in their lives.
So it was that when we discovered that he was dying, my son and I made the decision to speak for Jericho, to help him to leave us before his illness worsened any further. During this time, I mused about a precious, silvery thread that weaved through the texture of our life with Jericho. It began within days of our bringing baby Jericho home from the SPCA.
Opening Act
In the years that had passed since my previous dog, the “crate” had come into vogue and, accordingly, we bought one, put a soft blanket down on the floor and scattered a few toys inside for good measure. Then we waited for Jericho to do what the dog books said all pups do: namely, to adopt the crate as his indoor doghouse. After 6 days of waiting, during which time Jericho sniffed at it but otherwise crept passed it in silent foreboding, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
Scooping him up, I placed him in his crate with several puppy cookies and closed the door.
When we returned, about 20 minutes later, Jericho was waiting for us at the front door.
We examined the crate. The door was closed, the drop-lock in place. So how had he…..?
I placed him inside the crate again, closed the door, dropped the lock and reinforced it by securing the door to the frame of the crate with a leather belt. I tried the door to be sure it was closed properly and then out we went, for another 20 minutes.
And again, baby J. met us at the front door.
He followed us happily into the living room where he sat down, his tail thumping out a drum beat on the carpet. The crate was intact — door closed, lock dropped, leather belt. This time we checked each of the three walls, convinced the crate had some kind of “assembly flaw.” But we found nothing of the kind.
At work, I told the story to a few women from the Cree Nation that had come down from the North to work together with me on an educational mission that was close to the heart of their community: writing units of study in the Cree language for the children in their elementary schools. Even before the incident of “Jericho and The Crate,” I had fallen in love with their stories, customs and ancient wisdom.
Daisy Bearskin and Lucy Shem smiled as I told the story of my Houdini puppy. Then they explained, in gentle but earnest tones, ” Jericho is a Spirit Dog. That’s why he can get out of the cage. He is your Spirit Dog and a cage is not the right place to keep him. Just like you wouldn’t put your own spirit in a cage – it’s the same for your Spirit Dog.”
Then Daisy reached into her purse and pulled out a small charm made of Caribou bone, threaded onto a strip of leather. The little figure was of a howling wolf. She pressed it into my palm and said, “This belongs to Jericho. Keep it with him always. He is your teacher and guide.” I was very moved by her gift. Later, when I asked how she knew the charm was for Jericho, she replied, “I put it in my bag when I knew we were coming down here. I thought it was for you at the time. But after you told us the story, I knew I was wrong. It belongs to Jericho.”
That night, my son and I disassembled the crate and took it down to the basement.
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Significance of Animal Spirits
Jericho wore his sacred charm for awhile but I was afraid that he might lose it. Eventually, I took it off and kept it for him in a ceramic jar with my own Native North American treasures — a turquoise beaded bracelet, a Medicine Bag and sacred stones.
Long before Jericho came into my life, I was fascinated by the traditions and beliefs of different cultural communities and had read many books on the subject. So I knew quite a lot about Spirit Animals and Guides long before I met Daisy and Lucy.
The Native North American belief is that every human has an animal spirit and, if our heart is open, they come to us. In the past and in some cultures today, the young are sent out into the wild to encounter their animal spirit; this was part of the initiation into the culture of many, if not all, indigenous Native North American tribes. At essence, this part of the initiation ceremony was about uniting your essence with the Mother of All to become part of a sacred world that is both here on Earth and not here.
Spirit Dog, 10 years later (2010)
Jericho, my son and I reaped the fruit of what was in essence an inter-species affair for a decade. During which we learned so much from and with Jericho, each and every day. While some saw him as burdened by his handicap, we, his family, learned that this handicap was a gift that had been entrusted to Jericho. And he carried that gift with great wisdom into schools to work with teenagers who bore the scars of cruelty and into the lives of strangers who themselves walked on despite handicap, old age and infirmity.
Last year, my friend Liz Read, a gifted photographer and artist, came for a visit. As was typical at that time, Liz never went far afield without her camera. So it was that on this day, shortly before she left, she snapped a few photos of Jericho looking up at me, listening in on our conversation.
A short time later, she sent me the photos with a sort of befuddled note. Jericho had turned out blue, even though everything else in the photos was the colour it ought to be. The blue encircled his heart and head. In another shot, a close-up of Jericho laughing — a trait so much a part of his personality — his whole face was blue. Liz sent the originals together with the same images converted to black and white. In her note to me, she confessed that her camera was likely on the fritz, although she had examined it carefully and could find nothing wrong. She was unable to account for the “correctness” of the background in the first photo (below), as well as Jericho’s hind leg, which is colour correct.
At this point, let me qualify. I am not persuaded by “New Age” wisdom, nor do I subscribe to theories of literal reincarnation or anything of that kind. I am, however, deeply spiritual and I certainly believe (undoubtedly a genetic gift from my Welsh grandmother) that all animate and inanimate forms have a spirit, or soul. And that this spirit, or soul, is immortal however it may choose to manifest. (Actually, this latter is born out by science and particularly, quantum physics, that teaches us how matter can neither be created nor destroyed. It simply manifests itself in a different form — in the air we breathe, in the warmth of the sun on our faces, and so forth.)
My first thought about these exquisite photos, and particularly the whole body shot (above), was that the composition was like a painting — one of those rare instances where one is reminded that photography is, indeed, an art. I chuckled about the serendipity of my “blue dog.”But later and in the days that followed, I reflected on Buddhist and other teachings, where the spirit, or soul, is blue and in which the colour blue, as in Christianity, universally signifies a divine presence, as well as protection from evil.
In the end, I decided that our Spirit Dog Jericho was manifesting himself and hoping that I would notice, just as he had when he was a baby escaping from the dreaded dog crate.
The Circle Closes
As you may know, circles are sacred symbols of eternity. Hence the sacred depictions of them in the artefacts of many, many cultures in the form of the uroborus (snake swallowing its tail), in haloes, in wreaths, in dances, in stone circles and ancient symbols.
It is in this sense that my Spirit Dog Jericho closed the circle of his story in this world.
In the days before Jericho left us to begin the next part of his journey, the hours passed with a great heaviness for me. One night, I decided to Google “Spirit Dog” to see if there was anything else I could learn that I didn’t already know. Up came a listing of sundry sites where the words “spirit” and “dog” appeared.
Many of the first listings were either New Age-y or else, told me nothing new. Then I came upon something called, “Meeko Littlefoot.” When I opened Meeko’s page, I was stunned. Since Jericho was an SPCA rescue, we knew very little about his bloodlines and in those first years, I was determined to chase down photos of dogs who looked like him and carried his distinctive face markings. I never found a dog that resembled him.
Suddenly, here was Meeko and although not identical, her resemblance to Jericho was startling. Meeko is a North American Indian Dog (NAID), a breed I knew nothing about until a few days ago. As I studied the different NAID sites, I also knew that my search was for something tangible that would tell me our beloved Spirit Dog would never really leave us. We humans are thick-minded in this way and I am no different: we think we need proof to believe.
It is almost two days now since Jericho’s physical presence departed, but he is here, teaching me: It doesn’t matter what breed Jericho was or wasn’t — his life was sacred. And to share this part of Jericho’s journey is one of the greatest gifts my son and I have ever received.
Thank you, my darling boy. Within us, you are home.
For all those of you who have known, or are waiting to meet, your animal spirit, this excerpt from “My Dog Tim,” written by Winifred Mary Letts in the 1800’s:
[My dog Tim] he’d stick to me till his lastest breath;
An’ he’d go with me to the gates of death.
He’d wait for a thousand years, maybe,
Scratching the door ‘an whining for me
If myself were inside in Purgatory.
So I laugh when I hear them make it plain
That dogs and men never meet again.
For all their talk who’d listen to th’m
For with the soul in the shining eyes of him,
Would God be wasting a dog like Tim?
Oh, Abigail, this is one of the most beautiful things you have written in your blog. Thank you so very much for sharing your wonderful Spirit Dog with us – what a wonderful soul. I wish there were some eloquent words of comfort I could offer you in your loss, but please know you have my sincere sympathy.
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Celeste: Thank you so much! Through these painful days hearing voices such as yours have given me strength. Thank you from the depths of my heart for your kind & reassuring words, Abigail
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Abigail, this is one of the loveliest things I have ever read about a beloved dog who has passed on. It is clear to me that as much as he gave you, you and your son gave him every bit back. He was very well loved and cared for. Take comfort in that. He was a beautiful soul.
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Paula: Yes, he was — and is, in the sense that every spirit, or soul, is immortal. Thank you for your kind & loving words during this hard time, Abigail
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Abigail-Your story moved me. I hope Jericho is guiding my old hound around the spirit world the same way that he guided you and your son in yours. Bless you.
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Terry: Thank you, as always, for your wonder-full words. They mean so much to me at this sad time in my life. I am sure that Jericho is with your “old hound” — he loved to sniff his way through the world, just the same way that hounds do! Abigail
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Abigail, I’m so so sorry for your lost. It made me cry to look at his beautiful face. I really have no words to express myself. I need to read this a few more times, it’s very special.
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Eveline: Thank you so much for taking the time to send me this lovely “cyber-hug.” Abigail
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Dearest Abigail,
Jericho will be forever be in so many of our hearts and mind. I feel so lucky to have spent many days with Jericho, working along side of him. He would always remind us when it was time to take a break, to get some fresh air, or to play with a toy. I will always remember the way he would greet me at your door, with a bark, welcoming me into his home. Jericho you will be missed…
Barbara
xoxo
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Barbara: Thank you my dear friend, for taking the time to leave this poetic & loving comment. I treasure it, just as I treasure our friendship. Much love, Abigail
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Abigail, Your Jericho was a special gift and a fortunate boy to have found you. Your love comes through and the photographs are beautiful. I am so happy you included the self portrait so I no longer have to imagine what my “horsey” friend looks like. Jericho’s spirit will be with you and James always.
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Brenda: Thank you so very much for these lovely remarks on our story, Jericho & mine. I can feel him here with me, as can “Jericho’s cat,” Piper, who misses him but seems to feel his presence at about the same moment that I do. Wonderful to hear from you & especially now, HUGS, Abigail
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Abigail- what a beautiful tribute to Jericho Braveheart. I don’t even know what to say except I’m sorry he’s physically gone but so, so glad he found you and hisw boy James all those years ago. His spirit shines through in all the photographs. My thoughts are with you.
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Thanks so much, Susan. It is so terribly hard to lose a loved one, even when I feel his spirit-soul all around me. Beautiful as that is, my hands long for the baby-soft fur just behind his ears…… I really appreciate your taking the time to reach out to James & I. It makes our grief a little easier to bear, knowing that there are other sweet souls encouraging us, Abigail
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Abigail your story touched my soul. How beautiful He was. How beautiful You are. Thank you for sharing apart of yourself with all of us. The way you write is just so very special. May God Bless you always, Shari
PS I bet my Titus met Jericho at Rainbow’s Bridge.
I also am glad to know what Beautiful Abigail looks like 🙂
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Shari: What a lovely, lovely tribute to Jericho and one that touched my heart. I am sure that Titus & Jericho have met in the next life — Jericho was always on the look-out for fun-loving pups to run madly around with! As fate would have it, your card & all the children’s messages of thanks arrived today. It made me smile….and now I know what Beautiful Shari looks like too!!!! HUGS, Abigail
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Abigail, my heart goes out to you. What a sweet tribute to your “spirit dog”, Jericho. Thank you for sharing this bitter-sweet story. I know you had to have done so through many tears. Wish I could say something to ease the pain I know you are going through. God bless to both you and your son. I am glad you have someone to share your love and experiences with this special canine “spirit”, dear, sweet Jericho Braveheart. Rest in peace, precious boy.
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Ann Maree: Thank you so much for these sweet & loving thoughts. Yes, it has been a very hard time for both James & I, but wonder-full to know that I am watched over by caring friends such as you. HUGS, Abigail
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Abigail, I am so touched by your tribute to Jerico Braveheart, your Spirit Dog, I don’t know what to say except thank you so much for sharing the beauty of his spirit and his life with you and your son with us. I don’t think I will ever be able to look at any dog the same way again after reading this beautiful piece. Thinking of you and James in this time of loss.
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Deborah: Thank you so much for taking the time to send along these beautiful sentiments. I think it is fair to say that no-one who knew my big boy will ever forget him. He just forced you to centre on what is most important about a living spirit — even one who wears a brace. He was a great, great teacher in my life. I so appreciate your warmth and the comfort of your words at this difficult time, Abigail
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[Available] Averil Robinson to Abigail
show details 10:46 PM (0 minutes ago)
Thank for sharing this most precious eulogy of your special spirit, Jericho. We are honored to take care of him on his final journey.
Pet Friends & staff
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Averil & staff at Pet Friends: Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. And thank goodness that you and your caring team are in this world, Averil. You have given James and I much comfort, knowing that Jericho is in such loving hands. Abigail
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Abigail–love is the strongest force in the world. You and Jericho shared/share true love. We grieve for your loss.
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Barbara: I so agree with you! And it will be the love that heals. Thank you for sharing in the story of Jericho’s life and for helping James & I grieve. It means more than I can say, HUGS, Abigail
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Abigail, I’m sorry for your loss but, at least you know that Jericho is still there with you in spirit and watching out for you. I have a Animal totem too, the “golden leopard.” North American Indian believes are so cool! Maybe, that’s why I always have cats?
Anyways, thank you for sharing this touching story! Did you cremate or bury Jericho?
Just curious.
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Heidi: So lovely to find another “totemic spirit” at this time & thanks for your warm, supportive condolences. Yes, I can feel Jericho in our home every day and believe that he is here with me, watching over me with his big, dark and knowing eyes. And cats — we have 4 between James & I — are always hooked in to a higher truth, as far as I can see. They are wonder-full for the soul! Jericho was cremated but we waited 72 hours — in Buddhist teachings, the soul requires 72 hours to form above the body and we wanted to assure Jericho this final rite of passage. HUGS, Abigail
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Abigail this is a beautiful tribute to Jericho- as I knew it would be. I am glad that you let me be a part of his life. There is no question in my mind- but that he was truly a spirit dog- your spirit dog. And he will be with you always. Jericho’s Aunty Janet
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Granny J: Part of his life? You were his “Auntie Janny” and he knew that when you arrived, it was part of his family! I love you, woman, Abigail
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Abigail,
What a great way to honour Jericho who touched so many lives. Thank you.
Suzy
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Suzy: High praise from a creative and poetic soul such as yourself. Thank you sweetie for leaving these kind words, Abigail
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I am so touched by your tribute to this wonderful companion and friend–who just happened to be a dog. I lost my heart-mate dog a little over a year ago, but she still dances in my memory. My daughters have instructions to place her ashes with me in my resting place. .
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Debra Z : Your words really touched me. This is just exactly what will happen with my beloved Jericho — my son has the same instructions! Thank you so very much for these lovely thoughts — I am inspired by them. HUGS, Abigail
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Abigail, your wonderful tribute left me in tears. I lost a cat to diabetes in 2009, and it was a choice I made to end her suffering. I grieve with you and hope you and your son are able to feel Jericho’s spirit with you as you continue through life. You are truly blessed to have had him in your lives.
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Devora: Your words and sharing touched me deeply and made me feel less alone. I hope you feel your cat near you, too. I lost my Kali-cat in 2009 as well — and I still catch her out of the corner of my eye and say goodnight to her each & every night. Love is forever and our spirit-souls are made of love. When we let go out of love, those souls always return to us. I really believe that! HUGS, Abigail
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The Arctic wolves left to men to babysit their den; the WHOLE pack left to hunt. Later the WHOLE pack walked 8 miles to say goodbye as the left via helicopter. Next year the wolves came to greet them. More and more people learn to or hire communicators to talk with their animals. A horse who could not have seen our dead barn cat in the Hwy talked of the kitty, showed his black body laying on black pavement, & lamented the deep sorrow the entire “herd” held for the loss of “one of their own”. Through altenative healing methods (T-Touch, Healing Touch, Acupuncture, Reiki, Massage, etc) we observe and listen to our animals in new ways. The crows watch us, recognize us, learn from us, and alter their world. Dogs are Navy Seals; one was on the ground with the killing of Bin Laden. A Seeing-Eye dog walking the side of a Hwy with his Master pushing him out of the way of a car coming from the rear, absorbing the hit himself. He lives. It’s been an interspecies world — we’re just stumbling into it as the late great last species to join.
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Abigail: I have just returned from England and checked in this morning to see what was on your blog. I am tremendously moved by your tribute to Jericho. He is a very special dog indeed. I cannot really add to the comments already made except to thank you for sharing Jericho’s life with all of us. We are all enriched by it.
Thank you.
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Abigail,
I have just read your tribute to Jericho…I am deeply moved…such a face!!! From what I have come to understand, every creature has an “aura” associated with the energy that is present in the body and spirit, I don’t think “your blue dog” photo is a mistake. I believe your friend captured Jericho’s aura in this photograph. He was sitting watching you and listening to your voice chatting with your friend. The color blue “true blue” is always associated with love. Your friend was lucky enough to be there to take the picture of a Jericho’s aura and at that moment in time while watching and listening to you, the love aura was present with him. What a wonderful gift you have been given…a visual depiction of his love … forever!
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Mary: Your comments moved me to tears, but they are precious to me. I intend to print them for Jericho’s book. I agree: my Spirit Dog was an absolutely wonderful gift and even now, I know that he is here with me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Abigail
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As I read this I was reminded of my own experience after my beloved Callie passed on. We had a game we played each morning. I would throw my socks on the floor and get in the shower. She would take the socks and hide them-all over the house. But each time I got out of the shower they were gone. The morning after she had passed with sadness I put my black socks (of which I have very few pairs) in the laundry hamper (sadly) instead of thowing them on the floor. When I got out of the shower and went back to the bedroom there was one black sock sitting on the bed near the pillows (she used to hide them under the pillows alot). Honestly until I read your crate story I though I might have been imagining it but It always gave me great comfort as I thought that was Callie’s way of telling me she was okay. We have a dog in our neighborhood that reminds me of your Jericho. Other then my own he has always been a favorite of mine. There is something about his eyes and a serentiy that seems to surround him. Thanks so much for sharing your story…
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Mary: It was lovely hearing about your Callie. I’m sure she did indeed move that sock — Jericho taught me so much about this deeper reality and my Cree friends about the animal spirits that accompany us through life. There is just so much more beauty in the world than we see if we only live on the 3-dimensional plane! I’m so glad that I could play a small role in giving Callie & the black sock a deeper meaning for you by sharing a part of my life with Jericho with you. Thank you so much for sharing in return, Mary. It meant so much to me to hear from you, Abigail
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Dear Abigail – I’m reading this story about Jericho just tonight as it was attached to the Zenyatta post dated Friday 2-17. A sad weekend after losing Kari. I only knew her through the Zenyatta website and her incredible videos she created. However, I feel like I knew her spirit ….. she was a lovely lady and I will miss her on this Earth. I’m certain she is with your spirit dog-Jericho and enjoying her life free from pain. Thank you for this lovely tribute to your beautiful dog.
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I too am visiting because of the link in Z’s diary related to the loss of Kari. Your story is bringing the circle together for me, thank you for sharing it. I Believe. Kari and Jericho are at work, letting us know they are near — not gone, only out of sight for now. Sending you light and love.
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Becky: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this lovely response to the story of my Spirit Dog, Jericho. I, too, believe.
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