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The Fighting Dog and the Ordinary Dog

(Aesop’s Fables)

Translation　ちいさな翻訳屋さん

Japanese ・ English ・Japanese & English

　There was a dog that had been brought up to be able to fight against ferocious animals.

　One day when the dog saw a number of ferocious animals getting together,

　he bit his collar and tore it, then ran away towards the town.

　When other dogs saw him that looked almost like a sturdy bull run away, they all wondered what he was running away from, then asked him.

“Why are you running away?”

　Then he answered,

“Obviously I've been having such a luxurious life by eating a big and delicious meal every day.

　But I'm forced to fight against lions and bears,

　so I cannot help getting scared and thinking like “Am I dying soon?”

　Hearing his answer, other dogs said to one another,

“We're poor, but we should be happy

　because we're not forced to fight against lions and bears.”

　This story tells us that it would be so much nicer to have a laid-back life even if we are poor than to have a luxurious life with dreadful things.

The end

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