A dog jumped into a manger full of hay, and lay down to sleep. Later an ox came along and wanted to eat the hay.

As soon as the dog heard him it sprang up and barked furiously. The ox tried again to get at the hay, but the dog threatened to bite him if he came near.

The ox then said, “Why will you not let me eat my hay? It is of no use to you, for you cannot eat it yourself.”

“That doesn’t matter,” snarled the dog. “If I can’t eat it myself nobody else shall have it.”