- The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf
- the Wolf and the Lamb
- the Lion the Ass and the Fox
- the Girl and the Jar of Nuts
- the Oxen and the Axle
- the old Wolf admires his Shadow
- the Frog and the Mouse
- the Jackdaw and the Fox
- the Nightingale and the Bat
- the Two Dogs
- the Boy who wouldn’t cry Wolf
- the Raindrops and the River
- the Frogs who wanted a King
- the Frog the Crab and the Snake
- the Fox the Mouse and the Grapes
- the Tortoise and the Geese
- the Birds and the Bat
- the Lion and the Hares
- Jackdaw and the Borrowed Feathers
- the Frog King and the Snake
- Jackdaw and the Pigeons
- Jackdaw and the Piece of String
- the Lion in Love
- the Wolf and the Sleeping Dog
- the Blackbird and its Wings
- the Snail the Mirror and the Monkey
- the Lion’s Breath
- the Monkey, the Goat, and the Sailboat
- the Astrologer and the Young Prince
- the Stargazer
- the Eagle and the Crow
- the Hippos at the Waterhole
- the Truce at the Waterhole
- the Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
- A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
- the Frog and the Butterfly
- the Frog and the Flowers
- Another Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
- the Boy and the Snake
- Two Foxes and a Bunch of Grapes
- the Hare and the Hunting Dog
- the Toad and the Frog
- the Lion the Cat and the Mice
- the Fowler and the Woodpigeons
- The Tortoises
- the Angry Wasp and the Honey Bee
- the Camel Driver and the Snake
- Fall in the Garden of Eden
- A Monument for a Lion
- Two Dogs, One Bone
- the Tortoise and the Hare
- The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf
- the Wolf and the Lamb
- the Lion the Ass and the Fox
- the Girl and the Jar of Nuts
- the Oxen and the Axle
- the old Wolf admires his Shadow
- the Frog and the Mouse
- the Jackdaw and the Fox
- the Nightingale and the Bat
- the Two Dogs
- the Boy who wouldn’t cry Wolf
- the Raindrops and the River
- the Frogs who wanted a King
- the Frog the Crab and the Snake
- the Fox the Mouse and the Grapes
- the Tortoise and the Geese
- the Birds and the Bat
- the Lion and the Hares
- Jackdaw and the Borrowed Feathers
- the Frog King and the Snake
- Jackdaw and the Pigeons
- Jackdaw and the Piece of String
- the Lion in Love
- the Wolf and the Sleeping Dog
- the Blackbird and its Wings
- the Snail the Mirror and the Monkey
- the Lion’s Breath
- the Monkey, the Goat, and the Sailboat
- the Astrologer and the Young Prince
- the Stargazer
- the Eagle and the Crow
- the Hippos at the Waterhole
- the Truce at the Waterhole
- the Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
- A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
- the Frog and the Butterfly
- the Frog and the Flowers
- Another Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
- the Boy and the Snake
- Two Foxes and a Bunch of Grapes
- the Hare and the Hunting Dog
- the Toad and the Frog
- the Lion the Cat and the Mice
- the Fowler and the Woodpigeons
- The Tortoises
- the Angry Wasp and the Honey Bee
- the Camel Driver and the Snake
- Fall in the Garden of Eden
- A Monument for a Lion
- Two Dogs, One Bone
- the Tortoise and the Hare
A farmer’s wife threw a bone into the yard where she kept two dogs. The dogs made a dash for the bone, but it fell closer to one than the other and was easily claimed.
“Back off. The bone is mine,” snarled the lucky one, and then it began to gnaw the bone with exaggerated satisfaction, while its rival paced, restless and discontented, in the shadows.
Eventually, with the heat of the day, and all that gnawing, the lucky dog developed a thirst. It had no choice but to visit its bowl to drink. It was then the other dog pounced. Darting out of the shadows, it seized the bone and carried it to the far corner of the yard.
Outraged, the lucky dog gave chase.
“Give it back,” it growled.
“No, I don’t think I will,” replied the other.
“You will and you must!” the lucky dog insisted.
“Oh, must I? Why is that?”
“Because the bone is mine. It’s always been mine.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem to be yours now, does it?”
“Because you stole it!”
The two dogs were poised fight when another bone was tossed into the yard. Again the bone landed close behind the lucky dog and again the lucky dog was first to claim it. It carried the bone back to its spot.
“Listen, I’ve been thinking. ” the lucky dog called back to its rival. “You can keep that bone. I’ll let you have it. I’ve got a better one now.”
“Good for you,” the other responded, unimpressed.
“Yes, much better. Nice and fresh.”
“And has that one always been yours too?”
“Of course.”
Richard Parkin, 2024
A farmer’s wife threw a bone into the yard where she kept two dogs. The dogs made a dash for the bone, but it fell closer to one than the other and was easily claimed.
“Back off. The bone is mine,” snarled the lucky one, and then it began to gnaw the bone with exaggerated satisfaction, while its rival paced, restless and discontented, in the shadows.
Eventually, with the heat of the day, and all that gnawing, the lucky dog developed an awful thirst. It had no choice but to visit its bowl to drink. It was then the other dog pounced. Darting out of the shadows, it seized the bone and carried it to the far corner of the yard.
Outraged, the lucky dog gave chase.
“Give it back,” it growled.
“No, I don’t think I will,” replied the other.
“You will and you must!” the lucky dog insisted.
“Oh, must I? Why is that?”
“Because the bone is mine. It’s always been mine.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem to be yours now, does it?”
“Because you stole it!”
The two dogs were poised fight when another bone was tossed into the yard. Again the bone landed close behind the lucky dog and again the lucky dog was first to claim it. It carried the bone back to its spot.
“Listen, I’ve been thinking. ” the lucky dog called back to its rival. “You can keep that bone. I’ll let you have it. I’ve got a better one now.”
“Good for you,” the other responded, unimpressed.
“Yes, much better. Nice and fresh.”
“And has that one always been yours too?”
“Of course.”
© Richard Parkin 2024