The Dog In The Manger

Summary

This short story illustrates a moral lesson about selfishness and its consequences. It tells the tale of a dog that sleeps in a manger filled with hay, a feeding place meant for the cattle. Despite the hay not being suited to the dog's tastes, he becomes territorial, preventing the tired and hungry cattle from reaching their food. This act of selfishness and denying others something they need, even when it is of no use to oneself, is scrutinized by the farmer, who ultimately disciplines the dog by driving him out of the stable. The story serves to teach children about the importance of sharing and the negative repercussions of being selfish.

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A Dog asleep in a manger filled with hay, was awakened by the Cattle, which came in tired and hungry from working in the field. But the Dog would not let them get near the manger, and snarled and snapped as if it were filled with the best of meat and bones, all for himself.

The Cattle looked at the Dog in disgust. “How selfish he is!” said one. “He cannot eat the hay and yet he will not let us eat it who are so hungry for it!”

Now the farmer came in. When he saw how the Dog was acting, he seized a stick and drove him out of the stable with many a blow for his selfish behavior.

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