The Dog and the Shadow

In a bustling market town where merchants sold their goods and craftsmen practiced their trades, there lived a clever and resourceful dog named Rex who had learned to survive by his wits and his ability to find opportunities wherever they might present themselves.

Rex was not a pet belonging to any particular family, but rather a street-smart animal who made his living by scavenging for food scraps, performing tricks for coins, and occasionally being rewarded by kind-hearted townspeople who appreciated his intelligence and friendly demeanor.

Over the years, Rex had developed an excellent understanding of where and when the best food opportunities were likely to appear. He knew which butcher shops might have bones or meat scraps available, which bakeries sometimes had day-old bread to give away, and which restaurants were most likely to have leftover food at the end of the day.

One particularly successful morning, Rex managed to convince a generous butcher to give him a large, meaty bone that was perfect for a substantial meal. The bone was fresh and substantial, with plenty of meat remaining on it, and Rex was delighted with this exceptional prize.

The bone was so large and valuable that Rex decided he should take it somewhere safe and private where he could enjoy his meal without interference from other dogs or people who might try to take it away from him.

Rex knew of a quiet spot near a small bridge that crossed a stream on the outskirts of town. This location was peaceful and secluded, with plenty of shade and soft grass where he could settle down comfortably to enjoy his feast.

Carrying the precious bone carefully in his mouth, Rex trotted confidently through the streets toward his chosen dining location. He was proud of his success in obtaining such an excellent meal, and he was looking forward to the satisfaction of eating every bit of meat from the substantial bone.

As Rex approached the bridge, he was feeling particularly pleased with himself and his good fortune. The bone was even better than he had initially realized—the meat was tender and aromatic, and there was enough food to keep him satisfied for the entire day.

The bridge was a simple wooden structure that spanned a clear, slow-moving stream. The water below was calm and still, creating a perfect mirror that reflected everything above it with remarkable clarity.

As Rex walked across the bridge with his prize, he happened to look down at the water flowing beneath him. In the still surface of the stream, he could see his own reflection looking back up at him.

But what Rex saw in the reflection made him stop in amazement and sudden desire. There, looking up at him from the water, was another dog who appeared to be carrying a bone that looked even larger and more appetizing than the one Rex was carrying.

The bone in the reflection appeared to have more meat on it, seemed to be of higher quality, and looked altogether more desirable than Rex’s own perfectly good bone.

“Look at that!” Rex thought to himself with growing excitement and envy. “That dog down there has a much better bone than mine. His bone is bigger, meatier, and more valuable. I should try to get that bone instead of settling for this smaller one.”

Rex studied the reflection more carefully, convinced that he was seeing another dog with superior food. The more he looked, the more convinced he became that the other dog’s bone was indeed better than his own.

“It’s not fair that he should have such a good bone while I have to settle for this inferior one,” Rex thought with increasing resentment. “I deserve the better bone just as much as he does. Maybe I can convince him to trade, or perhaps I can scare him into dropping his bone so I can grab it.”

Rex decided to try barking at the other dog to see if he could intimidate him into giving up the superior bone. If the other dog was frightened by Rex’s aggressive behavior, he might drop his bone and flee, leaving Rex free to claim the better prize.

Rex opened his mouth wide and let out a loud, threatening bark directed at the reflection in the water below.

But the moment Rex opened his mouth to bark, his own precious bone fell from his jaws and dropped directly into the stream below.

Rex watched in horror as his valuable meal disappeared into the water with a splash. The bone sank quickly beneath the surface and was immediately carried away by the current, lost forever.

At the same moment, Rex realized with shock and dismay that the “other dog” with the “better bone” had also opened his mouth and lost his bone in exactly the same way.

In that instant of recognition, Rex understood the terrible mistake he had made. There had never been another dog with a better bone. What he had seen in the water was simply his own reflection, and the “superior bone” that had aroused his envy was actually just the mirror image of his own perfectly good meal.

Rex’s greed and dissatisfaction with what he already possessed had caused him to lose everything. Instead of being content with the excellent bone he had worked hard to obtain, he had been tempted by the illusion of something better and had ended up with nothing at all.

The dog stood on the bridge looking down at the water where his precious bone had disappeared, feeling foolish and disappointed with himself. He realized that his real bone had been perfectly adequate—in fact, it had been an excellent meal that would have satisfied him completely.

But his inability to be content with what he had, combined with his desire for something that appeared to be better, had cost him everything.

Rex spent the rest of the day hungry and regretful, thinking about the lesson he had learned through his costly mistake. He understood that he had been deceived not by another dog or by any external trickery, but by his own greed and lack of contentment.

From that day forward, whenever Rex was fortunate enough to obtain food or other good things, he made sure to appreciate and enjoy what he had rather than spending time wishing for something different or apparently better.

Rex also learned to be suspicious of situations that seemed too good to be true, and he developed the wisdom to distinguish between real opportunities and mere illusions that might tempt him to give up genuine benefits.

The other dogs in the town eventually heard about Rex’s experience, and his story became a cautionary tale that reminded them all about the importance of being grateful for what they had and the dangers of being deceived by their own greedy desires.

Rex never forgot the expensive lesson he learned on the bridge, and he became known among the local animals as a dog who was both wise and content, appreciating his good fortune when it came and never again being tempted to risk real benefits for imaginary rewards.

Moral: Pursuing illusions of greater rewards often leads to losing the real benefits you already possess. Greed and dissatisfaction can cause you to give up genuine good things while chasing things that exist only in your imagination.