STORYSPROUTS!!
free stories and poems for children
A Panchatantra Tale
THE DONKEY AND THE DOG
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Listen as you read along...
A donkey and a dog,
Toiled on a farm,
Their master, so cruel…
With his words and his arm.
He beat them, he yelled,
For no fault of theirs’.
They suffered through the sorrow,
Full of despair
One night as they sat,
Hungry without food,
The master snored away,
His sleep deep and good.
A thief jumped the wall!
He was big, he was tall!
Donkey saw the man
And came up with a plan
“Bark friend, bark!
Warn Master, make it stark.
A thief is in the house.
He’s quiet like a mouse!”
“Why should I?” said Dog,
“For a man who makes me slog?
Without water, without food,
He'll learn a lesson. Good!”
“No!” begged the Donkey,
“be the loyal dog,
He still is our master
Despite the pain and slog.”
“I will help one deserving,
Without ever swerving.
But not the the cruel kind!
You cannot change my mind.”
The thief crept out,
With a bag of loot
Donkey had to shout...
He couldn’t stay mute.
"HEE HAW"", he brayed!
Oh the noise that he made!
For his master’s sake,
And his master was awake.
The cruel man groaned,
"DONKEYYY", he moaned.
With his stick he went WACK
On the poor donkey's back!
So angry was he,
That he didn’t quite see;
The thief who grinned
And did quietly flee!
Poor donkey was sore,
From the kicks that he bore.
"You were right Dog, he said
I will help him no more."
"Help the deserving, dear friend",
Said the dog in the end.
Some are cruel, some are kind.
Good and selfish you will find.
Hey Kids, do you ever feel like you have helped someone who is not nice to you in return? What would you do in that case?
About the illustrator...
Jasmine Mills has illustrator of more than 700 children's books. She also loves to volunteer her time at the Black History Museum of Virginia's annual children's book fair where she teaches children tp paint, illustrate and express themselves artistically.