The Dog and His Reflection

Name: The Dog and His Reflection
Author: Aesop

Aesop B1 Fable

A free B1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.

Level: B1
Genres: Fable
Reading time: 1 min
Languages available: EN, VI, ES, ZH, PT, HI, ID

Hurrying home with a bone from the butcher, a dog spots his reflection in the water and mistakes it for another dog with an even bigger prize.

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A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go.

As he crossed a narrow bridge, he looked down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water below. Thinking it was another dog with another bone, he made up his mind to have that one also.

So he snapped greedily at the reflection. But as he opened his mouth, his own bone fell out, dropped into the water, and was never seen again.

It is very foolish to be greedy.

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What was the Dog carrying home?
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Answer: A bone the butcher had thrown him
The butcher had thrown him a bone, and he was hurrying home with his prize.
What did the Dog think he saw in the water?
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Answer: Another dog with another, bigger bone
It was really his own reflection, but he thought it was another dog with another bone.
What happened when he snapped at the reflection?
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Answer: His own bone fell into the water and was lost
As he opened his mouth to snap at the reflection, his own bone fell out and was never seen again.
What does the story say about being greedy?
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Answer: It is very foolish to be greedy
The story ends by stating plainly that it is very foolish to be greedy.

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