The Greedy Dog

Copy 1: 100–120 Words

Once there was a greedy dog. One day, he stole a piece of meat from a nearby house. He held the meat in his mouth and ran away.

The dog came to a river. He began to cross the river over a narrow bridge. Suddenly, he looked down into the water. He saw his own shadow there.

But the foolish dog thought it was another dog. He also thought that the other dog had a bigger piece of meat. He wanted that meat too.

So he opened his mouth and barked at the shadow. At once, his own piece of meat fell into the river.

The dog lost his meat. He went away sadly. Greed brings loss.

Copy 2: 150–200 Words

Once there was a greedy dog. One day, he stole a piece of meat from a nearby house. He held the meat tightly in his mouth and ran away quickly.

After some time, he came near a river. There was a narrow bridge over the river. The dog wanted to go to the other side. So he began to cross the bridge slowly.

When he was in the middle of the bridge, he looked down. He saw his own shadow in the clear water. But he did not understand it. He thought, “There is another dog in the water. That dog also has a piece of meat.”

Then the greedy dog looked again. The meat in the water seemed bigger to him. He thought, “I must take that meat too. Then I will have two pieces of meat.”

So he opened his mouth and barked at the shadow. At once, his own piece of meat fell from his mouth into the river. The water carried it away.

The dog could not get the meat back. He became very sad. He learned that greed can take away what we already have.

Copy 3: 250–280 Words

Once there was a greedy dog. He always wanted more food. One day, he entered a nearby house and stole a piece of meat. He held the meat in his mouth and ran away as fast as he could. He was very happy because he had got good food.

The dog wanted to eat the meat in a quiet place. So he ran toward the other side of the village. On the way, he came to a river. There was a narrow bridge over the river. The dog stepped on the bridge and began to cross it carefully.

When he reached the middle of the bridge, he looked down into the water. The water was clear. He saw his own shadow in it. But the dog was foolish. He thought it was another dog under the bridge. He also saw a piece of meat in the other dog’s mouth.

The greedy dog looked at the shadow again and again. The meat in the water looked bigger than his own meat. He thought, “Why should that dog have a bigger piece? I will take it from him. Then I will have two pieces of meat.”

So the dog opened his mouth and barked loudly at the shadow. At that moment, his own piece of meat fell from his mouth into the river. The river carried the meat away. The dog looked for it, but he could not get it back.

At last, the dog left the bridge with an empty mouth. He was very sad. He understood his mistake too late. The story teaches us that greed is bad. If we want too much, we may lose what we already have.