The Dog and the Shadow

Aesop's Fables : The Dog and the Shadow

It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was

carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on

his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a

running brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw

his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking

it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made

up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the

shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the

piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was

never seen more.

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the

shadow.