The Dog and the Wolf
Vocabulary:
-
chafes - rubs against, annoys
-
gaunt - very thin and bony
-
objection - disagreement
A gaunt Wolf was almost dead with
hunger when he happened to meet a House-dog who was passing by.
"Ah, Cousin," said the
Dog. "I knew how it would be; your irregular life will soon be the ruin
of you. Why do you not work steadily as I do, and get your food regularly given
to you?"
"I would have no objection,"
said the Wolf, "if I could only get a place."
"I will easily arrange that
for you," said the Dog; "come with me to my master and you shall share
my work."
So the Wolf and the Dog went towards
the town together. On the way there the Wolf noticed that the hair on a certain
part of the Dog's neck was very much worn away, so he asked him how that had
come about.
"Oh, it is nothing," said
the Dog. "That is only the place where the collar is put on at night to
keep me chained up; it chafes a bit, but one soon gets used to it."
"Is that all?" said the
Wolf. "Then good-bye to you, Master Dog."
"Better starve free than be
a well-fed slave."
Questions to discuss
How much freedom would you be willing
to give up to be comfortable and well taken care of?
What a re things that you would
raise an objection to?
