A DOG looking out for its afternoon nap jumped into the Manger of an Ox and lay there cosily upon the straw. But soon the Ox, returning from its afternoon work, came up to the Manger and wanted to eat some of the straw. The Dog in a rage, being awakened from its slumber, stood up and barked at the Ox, and whenever it came near attempted to bite it. At last the Ox had to give up the hope of getting at the straw, and went away muttering:
“Ah, people often grudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves.”
(Ex. v. 11).
It is difficult to trace how this fable got so early into the Stainhöwel. It is told very shortly of a Dog and a Horse by Lucian, Adv. in Doct. 30, but is not included in the ordinary Greek prose Æsops. It was included as the last fable in Alsop's Oxford Æsop, 1798, where it was introduced in order to insert a gibe against Bentley for his "dog in the manger" behaviour with regard to the Royal Manuscripts. See Jebb, Bentley, p. 62.
SurLaLune Note
Perry 702
