Once upon a time, a happy dog was walking down the street. As he walked, he spotted something exciting in a trash can. “Wow, a bone! How lucky I am!” he thought. He picked up the bone and ran home with joy.
The dog ran past the train station, zoomed by the school, dashed through the park, and finally reached a big bridge. While on the bridge, he looked down into the calm water below. To his surprise, he saw another dog with a bone in its mouth!
“Who is that dog?” he wondered. “And why does he have a bone?” The dog stared at the other dog, and the other dog stared back at him. The dog thought, “Why is his bone bigger than mine?”
The dog growled at the other dog, and guess what? The other dog growled back! “I want that big bone!” the dog thought. He decided to jump into the water to get it. Splash!
As soon as he jumped into the water, the other dog disappeared. There was no other dog; it was just his own reflection in the water! The water was deep, and the dog was surprised. “Help!” he barked. When he barked, his bone fell from his mouth and sank to the bottom of the water.
The dog swam to the shore. He was wet, cold, and now he had no bone at all.
The story teaches us to be happy with what we have. If we are too greedy, we might end up with nothing at all!
Next time you want something that someone else has, remember the dog and his bone. It’s important to appreciate what you already have!
Reflection Exploration: Find a small mirror or a calm surface of water at home. Look into it and observe your reflection. Try making different faces and notice how your reflection changes. Discuss with a family member or friend how the reflection is like the dog’s experience in the story. What did the dog see, and what did he learn from it?
Gratitude Journal: Create a simple gratitude journal. Each day, draw or write about one thing you are thankful for. At the end of the week, share your favorite entry with your class or family. How does being thankful for what you have make you feel? How is this similar to the lesson the dog learned in the story?
Role-Playing Game: With a friend or family member, act out the story of “The Dog and His Bone.” One person can be the dog, and the other can be the reflection. Use props like a stick or a toy to represent the bone. After acting it out, discuss what the dog could have done differently to keep his bone. How can we apply this lesson in our own lives?
**The Dog and His Bone**
*A version of the tale by TheFableCottage.com*
A dog is walking down the street when he sees a bone in a trash can. “A bone! How lucky for me!” he thinks. He grabs the bone and happily runs home. He runs past the train station and the school, through the park, and onto a bridge.
On the bridge, the dog looks down into the deep, still water below. There, he sees another dog with a bone in its mouth. “Who is that dog?” he wonders. “What is he doing down there?” The dog stares at the other dog, and the other dog stares back.
“Where did that dog get such a big bone?” the dog wonders. “Why is his bone bigger than mine?” The dog growls at the other dog, and the other dog growls too. “I want that big bone!” he thinks. The greedy dog decides to steal the other dog’s bone. He leaps off the bridge and into the water. Splash!
But as soon as he hits the water, the other dog disappears. There was never any other dog; it was just his own reflection! The water is very deep, and the dog is surprised. “Help!” he barks. When he barks, his bone drops from his mouth and sinks to the bottom of the water.
The dog swims to shore. He is wet and cold, and now he has no bone at all.
**Moral:** Be happy with what you have. If you’re greedy, you might lose everything.
