🐶 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.

📜 Script 

NARRATOR:
A dog was resting in a manger full of hay.
He didn’t eat hay, but he liked lying on it.

NARRATOR:
Soon, a hungry cow came to eat the hay.
She slowly walked toward the manger.

🐄 COW:
“Moo… I’m hungry. May I eat some hay?”

NARRATOR:
But the dog jumped up and barked!

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

NARRATOR:
The cow was surprised.
The dog didn’t eat the hay—
but he didn’t let the cow eat it either.

NARRATOR:
Other animals saw what happened and said:

ANIMALS:
“Why stop others from having what you don’t even need?”

NARRATOR (ending):
Some people stop others from enjoying things
they can’t or won’t use themselves.

THE END.

📚 Vocabulary 

1. manger – a box that holds hay for animals to eat

2. hay – dry grass for animals

3. bark – the loud sound a dog makes

4. selfish – only caring about yourself

5. share – to let others use or have something

💬 Useful Expressions 

1. “May I eat some hay?” – Asking politely to have food

2. “Go away! This is my place!” – Not wanting to share

3. “He didn’t let the cow eat it either.” – He blocked someone else unfairly

❓Comprehension Questions 

1. Where was the dog resting?

2. What did the cow want?