"The Greedy Dog and the Bone"

In a quiet village nestled between rolling green hills and silver streams, there lived a scruffy little dog named Bruno. He was not the biggest dog in the village, nor the strongest, but he was certainly one of the cleverest—at least, that’s what he liked to believe. Bruno had a habit of wandering through the town every morning, sniffing around markets and bakeries, charming shopkeepers with his wagging tail and wide eyes.

Bruno wasn't a bad dog, but he did have one flaw: he was terribly greedy. He wanted everything he saw, especially if it looked tasty. While most dogs were satisfied with a single meal, Bruno was always on the lookout for more—more treats, more scraps, and more bones.

One sunny afternoon, as the scent of roasted chicken wafted from a nearby cottage, Bruno trotted happily down the village road. He had just finished a delicious lunch from a kindly butcher, who had tossed him a large, juicy bone. It was the kind of bone dogs dream about—thick, meaty, and perfectly cooked. Bruno grasped it tightly in his jaws and strutted down the path with pride.

As he passed through the fields and into the woods, he thought, “I’ll take this bone back to my favorite spot by the stream and enjoy it there. No one will bother me.”

The stream was not far, and soon Bruno was standing on a small wooden bridge that arched gently over the calm water. Birds chirped overhead, and butterflies fluttered through the reeds. The world seemed perfect.

But just as Bruno reached the center of the bridge and glanced down, he saw something in the water that made him freeze.

There, beneath him, was another dog—almost identical to him—holding a big, juicy bone in its mouth.

Bruno blinked. The other dog blinked. He took a step forward. So did the other dog.

Bruno’s heart raced. “That dog has a bone too! And it looks even bigger than mine!” he thought greedily.

Without a second thought, Bruno barked at the other dog to scare him away—and in doing so, opened his mouth.

SPLASH!

His bone fell straight into the water and sank out of sight.

Gone.

Bruno gasped and scrambled to the edge of the bridge, peering into the rippling stream. The reflection disappeared. So did the other dog. All that remained was a few gentle ripples and a sad little dog with an empty mouth.

For a moment, he sat in stunned silence, unable to believe what had just happened. Then his ears drooped, and his tail stopped wagging. The delicious bone he had was now lost—chased away by his own greed.

He lay down by the edge of the stream, looking at his reflection once more, this time with a heavy sigh. “If only I had been happy with what I had,” he thought, “I’d still have that tasty bone.”After a while, Bruno stood up and made his way back into the village, but this time he didn’t strut or smile. He walked slowly, learning his lesson with every step.

Later that day, as he passed the butcher shop again, the kindly butcher noticed his sad eyes and drooping tail.

“Lost your treasure, did you?” the butcher asked with a chuckle, reaching into a basket. “Well, maybe this will cheer you up.”

He tossed another bone—smaller than the first, but still enough to make Bruno’s eyes light up.

Bruno took it gently in his mouth and walked back to his favorite spot—not on the bridge this time, but beneath a tree near the water, where he could enjoy it in peace.

And this time, he didn’t look for anything better.

Moral of the Story:
Be content with what you have. Greed can make you lose even the good things already in your hands.