The Donkey and the Dog: Animal Stories for Kids

The short story of the donkey and the dog is proof that one must not unnecessarily attempt to do the job of or be someone else. It is the story of a dog and a donkey, who, seeing the appreciation received by the dog, attempts to plan and do the same thing the dog had done in the hopes of getting the same rewards, but instead completely goes totally unnoticed and unexpected.

This story presents us with the information that one needs to do what one is required to do, nothing more and nothing less. And even if one does more or less than what is required from him/her, it will be his/her loss. This is an important story to expose to kids as it contains the important message of not trying to be someone they are not. 

The Donkey and the Dog Summary in English

There was once a washerman who owned a dog and a donkey. Both had assisted their owner in various tasks, in their own, unique, individual ways. One day, a group of thieves had broken into the washerman’s house. The dog, upon hearing them, began to bark viciously, scaring away the thieves and waking up the neighbours. The thieves tried to run away as fast as possible, but they were stopped and caught red-handed by the neighbours who had now come out of their houses, wanting to know why a dog was barking late into the night. After waking up due to the noises and commotion, the washerman was pleased, to say the least, of his dog and so were his neighbours.

The dog was highly praised by the neighbours and the washerman himself was so proud of his dog. The donkey, who was quietly noticing all of this, thought to himself that he too can be useful to the washerman and prove that he is as capable of getting praises as his companion the dog. Another day, a pair of thieves broke into the house, yet again. But this time, they were aware of the dog inside the house and were wary of it. They searched for the dog and found it sitting in the middle of the house, wide awake due to previous circumstances. On noticing this, the thieves decided to flee and rob another house. Meanwhile, the donkey was watching all of this.

He thought that  if he starts making noises, his owner will come to know that he has scared away the thieves. The donkey began to bray loudly. The washerman woke up annoyed to the sounds of his donkey braying during the middle of the night, picked up a stick and beat the donkey black and blue in order to put an end to his braying, thinking that a good beating should teach him a lesson. The poor donkey was rather confused as to why he was being hit when he was expecting praises and rewards and was silent for a while after.

Witnessing the scene that took place before him, the dog quietly went up to the donkey and sympathetically told him that it was much better to do the duties assigned to the donkey rather than trying to be like the dog, someone who the donkey clearly won’t become. Ever since the dog’s advice, both the donkey and the dog have been living peacefully to this day.

A Washerman With a Dog and a Donkey

The Donkey and the Dog Story’s Moral

The moral of the story is to not pretend to be somebody you are not and to be your true natural self and to also do whatever it is that is assigned to you and do not volunteer to engage in the activities of others. By reading the donkey and the dog story’s morals, children will come to understand the importance of being who they truly are and enjoying it instead of copying others, because the original is always the best.

Note to Parents 

This short story of the dog and donkey will allow kids to broaden their knowledge on human behaviour. Other than enjoying their story-reading sessions, kids will try to live their lives trying to be the best versions of themselves, instead of attempting to copy others. Moreover, parents should encourage kids to read the donkey and the dog summary on their own, thereby improving their reading habits, attention span and love for stories. Story-telling also strengthens the bonds between parents and children, making them look forward to more of these story-telling sessions.