The Dog and the Shadow

By Shafer Green

       One lazy autumn afternoon saw a Dog walking down a worn dirt path on his way home. He had in his mouth a large scrap of steak the butcher had given him for begging, but to the Dog’s narrow mind, it was a piece of heaven. As he was walking across a small tree that had fallen over a creek, he happened to look down and see his reflection in the water below him. The Dog in the water also had some steak. Feeling as hungry as a starved goat, he asked the reflection,

       “May I please have that steak? I haven’t eaten all day and I doubt that one piece will be enough to satisfy hunger.” The reflection did not give him the meat but instead just stood there looking at him with his head cocked. The Dog got angry.

       “Fine. If you won’t give it to me, then I’ll just have to take it!” The Dog dove into the water as thoughts of a big two steak dinner flashed in his mind. However, when he opened his jaws to grab the other piece of meat, his piece flew through the air and was quickly swallowed up but the fast rushing water. The Dog searched frantically for the piece of meat but in vain. He then realized how greedy he had been and went to sleep that night without a bite to eat all day.

       This sort of thing happens nowadays too. People take a greedy risk for more power or satisfaction and end up losing everything they started off with.