The Dog in The Manger

Aesop | Greece

A dog in the manger growls at the ox despite having no interest in the hay, until its owner scolds it for its selfishness.

Colorful illustration of The Dog in The Manger - a fable
Text Version

Once upon a time, there was a dog who went to sleep in a manger full of hay. When an ox came to the manger to eat some hay, the dog growled and barked loudly. The ox was scared and couldn't eat any hay.

The dog didn't want to eat the hay either, but it didn't want the ox to have any. This went on for some time until the ox finally walked away, still hungry.

The dog stayed in the manger, lying on the hay it didn't need. It didn't want to share with anyone.

After a while, the farmer who owned the manger saw what was happening. He scolded the dog for being selfish. He said, "You don't need the hay, but you won't let others have it. You shouldn't stop others from using what you don't need!"

Feeling ashamed, the dog left the manger. Now, the other animals could finally eat the hay.

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