On 26 September 2026, Nicolas Gary wrote an article reflecting on his 18-month-old daughter's growing ability to say "no" and ask "again," illustrating her developing sense of autonomy and repetition. He draws a parallel between her behavior and that of Biquette, a dog famously known for refusing to comply with commands. The story of Biquette is set in a world where repetition is the norm, and it is tied to a lullaby that has been sung for nearly 200 years. In this lullaby, Biquette is repeatedly asked to leave a cabbage she is eating, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of themes like ownership and resistance. Gary’s article delves into questions about property rights, asking who owns the cabbage and the field where it grows. He notes that no one seems to know or care about these details, highlighting the lack of legal documents or clear boundaries. In the lullaby, a dog is sent to bite Biquette, but it refuses, claiming possession as a form of title. The story then introduces a wolf, tasked with eating the dog, but the wolf also refuses. This leads to a kind of "jurisprudence of refusal," where various characters—such as a stick, fire, water, a calf, and a butcher—all refuse their assigned roles. The author introduces a figure known as Satan, a senior consultant in change management, who restores order by threatening the butcher. This threat leads the butcher to agree to kill the calf, triggering a chain reaction that restores all the previous roles. However, Gary questions whether Biquette’s consent was truly legitimate, noting that she did not change her mind but instead received new information about Satan’s presence. This adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, suggesting that even refusal can be influenced by new circumstances. The article also touches on a classic riddle in which a farmer must transport a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage across a river without any of them being eaten. Gary includes reader comments on possible solutions, with one suggesting the farmer left the wolf and cabbage together, allowing the goat to escape. Another reader humorously proposes that the wolf was bought for his musical talents. The article concludes with Gary’s daughter refusing to return a book, drawing a direct comparison to Biquette’s situation. This connection reinforces the themes of property, autonomy, and the power of refusal in both childhood and narrative.