The Scarecrow Dog
Once upon a time, at the edge of a fertile farm where golden ears of grain swayed in the wind, there lived a bad-tempered dog. This golden-furred dog lay in the shade all day long and took great pleasure in swaggering before everything around him. In the middle of the farm stood a huge manger filled with fragrant, fresh hay so that the tired oxen and horses could refresh themselves. Yet this bad-tempered dog, although he ate no hay himself, had made a habit of going every morning and settling right in the middle of this manger. Even the little creatures around could make no sense of his misplaced arrogance and his senseless greed. On a hot summer afternoon, when the sun burned overhead like an ember, the old ox returning from the field approached the manger with heavy steps.
Exhausted from pulling the plough since morning, he had dreamed of filling his belly with a mouthful of sweet hay and resting. But the moment he stretched his head towards the manger, the dog curled up on the hay suddenly sat up and began to growl in a threatening manner. Baring his sharp teeth, he shouted angrily: "Keep away from here, this warm bed of hay is mine alone!" The great ox sighed in astonishment and asked: "But my friend, you do not eat grass, why do you block my food?" The dog, who would not yield an inch of his pride, stiffened his neck and answered: "Whether I eat or not is no concern of yours!" Begrudging others a portion that was of no use to himself had become this haughty animal's only amusement.
The other farm animals had gathered helplessly and were watching the dog's illogical and harsh attitude with sorrow. Just then the wise rooster of the farm perched upon a high fence and cried out with his booming voice. "What great folly it is to seize a blessing that is of no use to you, only so that others may not benefit from it!" he said. Ashamed at these just words, the owner of the farm intervened, scolded the dog and drove him away from the manger. While the old ox at last reached his fresh hay, the envious dog had to withdraw shamefacedly to his kennel. Those who withhold things of no use to themselves merely to spite others are in the end condemned to loneliness. He neither eats himself, nor lets others eat.