Name:
Date:
Grade: 2
Classical Fable
A dog was lying in a manger. A hungry ox saw the hay in the manger and wanted to eat it. The dog barked and snapped at the ox, and would not let him touch it. The ox said, “You are a selfish dog, for you can not eat the hay, and you will not allow others to eat it.”
Fable Focus: A fable is a short tale teaching a moral truth • Identifying character motivations • Quoted dialogue.
1
Comprehension & Literary Discovery
Read the story of the dog and the ox carefully. Write your answers on the guidelines.
1. Story Setting: Where was the dog lying? In a
2. Conflict: Why could the hungry ox not eat the hay?
3. Genre: What do we call a short story with animals that teaches a life lesson? A
4. Vocabulary: What word did the ox use to describe the dog's behavior?
2
Moral Meaning & Dialogue Mechanics
Examine why the dog was called selfish and how direct speech is punctuated.
A. Understanding "Selfish": A selfish person or animal:
[ ] Shares generously with friends [ ] Keeps what they cannot use from others
B. The Ox's Direct Speech: Write the quotation marks and introductory comma in the correct places:
The ox said You are a selfish dog...
3
Retelling the Fable in Your Own Words
In two complete sentences, retell the story of The Dog in the Manger and state its moral lesson.
Story Retelling:
Moral Lesson:
4
Sharing & Kindness at School
Think of a time at recess or during art class when children should share toys or crayons instead of acting like the dog. Write one encouraging rule for the classroom.
Classroom Rule: