🐶 The Dog in the Manger

Aesop’s Fable – Easy English Story for Ages 4–6

🎭 Character Descriptions

• 🐶 Dog: A small brown dog lying in a hay manger. He doesn’t eat the hay but doesn’t want others to eat it either.

• 🐄 Cow: A large cow with kind eyes. She is hungry and just wants to eat some hay.

📜

📜 The Dog in the Manger
Aesop’s Fable – Easy English Version

NARRATOR:
One warm afternoon, a dog wandered into a barn and found a soft bed of hay in a manger.
Though dogs don’t eat hay, it was cool and comfortable, so he curled up and fell asleep.

NARRATOR:
A little while later, a hungry cow walked slowly into the barn.
Her stomach rumbled, and she looked at the hay eagerly.
She walked toward the manger, ready to eat.

🐄 COW:
“Moo… I’m so hungry. May I eat some of this hay, please?”

NARRATOR:
But the dog suddenly woke up.
He jumped to his feet and barked loudly.

🐕 DOG:
“Grrr! Go away! This is my place now!”

NARRATOR:
The cow blinked in surprise.
She looked at the dog with confusion.

🐄 COW:
“But… you don’t even eat hay. Why won’t you let me have some?”

NARRATOR:
The dog just growled again and refused to move.
Even though he didn’t want the hay,
he didn’t want anyone else to have it either.

NARRATOR:
Other animals nearby had seen everything.

They shook their heads and whispered:

🦆🐐 ANIMALS:
“Why keep something you don’t need—
and stop others from using it when they do?”

NARRATOR (ending):
Some people are like the dog in the manger.
They don’t need a thing themselves,
but they don’t want others to enjoy it either.
It’s better to share than to block what you cannot use.

THE END.

📚 Vocabulary (5 Words)

• Manger – a box or trough where animals eat hay

• Hay – dry grass that animals eat

• Growl – the low, angry sound a dog makes

• Barn – a building on a farm where animals live

• Share – to let others use something too

🗣 Useful Expressions (3 Phrases)

• “This is my place now!” – when someone doesn’t want to move or share

• “You don’t even eat hay.” – pointing out unfairness

• “Why keep something you don’t need?” – a question about selfishness

❓Comprehension Questions (for Ages 4–6)

1. 🐕 Where did the dog sleep?

2. 🐄 What did the cow want to eat?

3. ❌ Why wouldn’t the dog let the cow eat the hay?

4. 🐐 What did the other animals think?

5. 💡 What lesson can we learn from this story?