The Dog in the Manger

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

A cozy stable setting and a gentle moral: don’t keep others from what you don’t even use. The ending returns to calm chewing and quiet.

Story Synopsis

In a stable that smells of warm wood and sweet hay, a Dog pads in and decides the manger looks like a perfect bed. He circles, climbs into the hay, and settles down as if it belongs to him. Later, the cattle return from the field, tired and hungry. They head straight to the manger—and stop short. The Dog sits there like a guard. When they step closer, he growls and snaps, refusing to let them eat. The trouble is simple: the Dog can’t eat hay. He doesn’t want it for food; he only wants to keep it for himself. The farmer sees what’s happening and drives the Dog away, and the cattle eat in peace. The lesson lingers: don’t block others from what you don’t even use.

Story Excerpt

A farmer had a stable that smelled of warm wood and sweet, dry hay. In one corner stood a manger—a long wooden box where hay was piled high for the cattle to eat. One quiet afternoon, a Dog padded into the stable. He circled once, twice, and then climbed right into the manger as if it were his own little bed. The hay was soft and springy. The Dog gave a satisfied sigh, tucked his nose under his paw, and fell asleep. Time passed. Outside, the sun moved lower, and the fields grew quieter. At last the cattle came in from their work. Their hooves thudded softly on the stable floor. They looked tired, and their sides rose and fell with deep breaths. They smelled the hay at once. “Hm,” one of the cattle murmured, stepping toward the manger. “That smells good. I’m hungry.” Another nodded. “Me too. Let’s eat.” But as the first cow leaned in, the Dog’s eyes snapped open. He lifted his head quickly, as if he had been guarding a treasure. The cow took one more step. The Dog sprang up in the manger.

In One Glance