Aesop’s fables · Appreciating what we have

The Dog and His Reflection

Ages 5–9 · About 2 minutes

Modernized from The Aesop for Children (1919).

Reading style

A brown dog carries a bone along the path toward a footbridge.

A precious bone

A butcher gave a dog a bone, and the dog hurried home with it in his mouth. As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he looked down at the still water below.

A precious bone

A butcher gave a dog a bone, and the dog hurried home with it in his mouth. As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he looked down at the still water below.

A brown dog carrying a bone looks down from a wooden footbridge at his reflection in the stream.

A surprising reflection

There was his reflection, as clear as a picture in a mirror. But the dog thought he was looking at another dog—and that dog's bone seemed much bigger than his own.

A surprising reflection

There was his reflection, as clear as a picture in a mirror. But the dog thought he was looking at another dog—and that dog's bone seemed much bigger than his own.

The dog paddles in the shallow stream beneath the bridge, with an empty mouth.

A splash in the stream

He wanted the bigger bone. Instead of stopping to look more carefully, he let go of the one he had and jumped toward the dog in the water. Splash! There was no other dog and no bigger bone. Now he was in the stream, paddling for the bank.

A splash in the stream

An empty mouth

At last, he climbed safely out. He stood there, wet and disappointed, thinking about the good bone he had lost. He had given up something real because he wanted something that was only a reflection.

An empty mouth

At last, he climbed safely out. He stood there, wet and disappointed, thinking about the good bone he had lost. He had given up something real because he wanted something that was only a reflection.

A little question for after the story

What could the dog have done before jumping toward the reflection?

Loading your next adventure…

A precious bone

A butcher gave a dog a bone, and the dog hurried home with it in his mouth. As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he looked down at the still water below.

A precious bone

A butcher gave a dog a bone, and the dog hurried home with it in his mouth. As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he looked down at the still water below.

A surprising reflection

There was his reflection, as clear as a picture in a mirror. But the dog thought he was looking at another dog—and that dog's bone seemed much bigger than his own.

A surprising reflection

There was his reflection, as clear as a picture in a mirror. But the dog thought he was looking at another dog—and that dog's bone seemed much bigger than his own.

A splash in the stream

An empty mouth

At last, he climbed safely out. He stood there, wet and disappointed, thinking about the good bone he had lost. He had given up something real because he wanted something that was only a reflection.

An empty mouth

At last, he climbed safely out. He stood there, wet and disappointed, thinking about the good bone he had lost. He had given up something real because he wanted something that was only a reflection.