A dog loses a real bone while chasing a reflection, learning to value what he has.
Carrying a bone, a dog sees his reflection in a river and snaps at the 'other' bone. He drops his own and learns a clear lesson: greed and impatience can cost us what is real.
Author: Aesop
Themes: contentment, critical thinking, gratitude
On a bright afternoon a hungry dog trotted along a river path with a tasty bone in his mouth. He had found it after a long search
and was proud of his prize. As he came to a wooden bridge he looked down into the water. The river ran smooth as glass, and in it he saw
the shape of another dog carrying a bone that looked even bigger than his own. He did not understand that the other dog was only his reflection.
Greedy thoughts crowded his mind. 'If I grab that bone too, I will have two,' he told himself. Without thinking he opened his mouth to bark.
The bone slipped from his jaws, splashed into the river, and sank out of sight. The water rippled, the image vanished, and the bridge was suddenly quiet.
The dog stared after the bone, surprised and sorry. He had traded something real for something that was never there. Shaking the water from his whiskers,
he walked on, a little wiser than before, and decided that next time he would be grateful for what he had and not be fooled by a shadow.
The Dog and the Shadow
Aesop's fable, 'The Dog and the Shadow', delivers a timeless lesson about the dangers of greed and the importance of appreciating what we have. Through the story of a dog who loses his bone for the illusion of a bigger prize, readers are reminded to be content with the real treasures in their lives.
About Aesop
Aesop was an ancient Greek storyteller believed to have lived between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Renowned for his collection of fables, Aesop's stories often feature animals and convey important moral lessons, making them timeless educational tools for children and adults alike.
Values
Greed can lead to loss
Appreciate what you have
Do not be fooled by appearances
Activities
🎨Draw a picture of the dog and his bone
💬Create a story about a different animal learning a lesson
✨Have a discussion about what it means to be greedy
FAQ
❓What is the main lesson of 'The Dog and the Shadow'?
The main lesson is that greed can lead to losing what we already have in pursuit of something that is just an illusion.
❓Can this fable be used to teach children?
Yes, it effectively teaches children the values of appreciation, contentment, and being cautious about what they desire.
❓What other morals can be derived from this fable?
Additional morals include the importance of thinking before acting and the significance of valuing reality over appearances.
