Once two dogs met. One of them was a tame dog who made his home with men. One was a dog who ran free. The dog who ran free stared at the tame dog and said, “Why is it that you are so plump and I am so thin?”

“Well”, said the tame dog, “I am plump because the men feed me. I do not have to run all the time to get my food. My job is to keep the home safe when the men are in their beds. When they wake up, they feed me scraps of food from their plates”. “Your life must be a fine life”, said the thin dog. “I wish my life were like yours.” The plump dog said, “If you help me keep the home safe, I bet the men will feed you, too”. “I will do it!” said the thin dog. But just as the thin dog said this, the moon shone on the neck of the plump dog. The thin dog said, “What is that on your neck?” “I am on a rope when the sun is up”, said the plump dog. “Rope?” said the thin dog. “Do they keep you on a rope?” “Yes”, said the plump dog. “When the moon is up, the men let me run free, but when the sun shines, they keep me on a rope. I can not run and be free when the sun is up, but it is not so bad”. “No, no!” said the thin dog, as he ran off. “I will not have a rope on my neck. You can be plump. I will be free!”