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1. In the old, old days, there lived an honest man with his wife, who had a pet dog, which they used to feed with fish and tit-bit from their own kitchen. One day, as the old folks went out to work in their garden, the dog went with them, and began playing about. All of a sudden, the dog stopped short, and began to bark, “Bow, wow, wow!” wagging his tail violently.
The old people thought that there must be something nice to eat under the ground, so they brought a spade and began digging, when, lo and behold! The place was full of gold pieces and silver, and all sorts of precious things, which had been buried there. So, they gathered the treasure and after giving alms to the poor, bought themselves rice-fields and corn-fields, and became wealthy people.
2. Now, in the neighbouring house there dwelt a covetous and stingy old couple, who when they heard what had happened, came and borrowed the dog and having taken him home, prepared a great feast for him, and said — “If you please, Mr. Dog, we should be much obliged to you if you would show us a place with plenty of money in it.”
3. The dog, however, who up to that time had received nothing but cuffs and kicks from his hosts, would not eat any of the dainties which they set before him; so, the old people began to get cross, and, putting a rope around the dog’s neck, led him out into the garden. But it was all in vain; he let them lead him where they might, not a sound would the dog utter. He had no “bow-wow” for them. At last, however, the dog stopped at a certain spot, and began to sniff. So, thinking that this must surely be the lucky place, they dug, and found nothing but a quantity of dirt and nasty offal, over which they had to hold their noses. Furious at being disappointed, the wicked old couple seized the dog, and killed him.
Explanation:
Many years ago, there lived an old couple with their pet, a dog. They loved their dog very much and often used to feed it with fish and some leftovers from the kitchen. One day they went to work in their garden, and the dog accompanied them to play around. Suddenly while playing, the dog began to bark and wagged his tail violently to let the old folks know he found something in the garden.
The old couple thought that there might be some eatables under the ground where their pet dog was standing, so they got a spade and dug under the soil. To their surprise, they noticed gold pieces, silver, and many precious things. The couple took the treasures and gave some to the poor. With the remaining wealth, they bought some corn-fields and rice-fields for themselves.
The old couple thought that there might be some eatables under the ground where their pet dog was standing, so they got a spade and dug under the soil. To their surprise, they noticed gold pieces, silver, and many precious things. The couple took the treasures and gave some to the poor. With the remaining wealth, they bought some corn-fields and rice-fields for themselves.
The good old couple had an immoral/evil old couple as their neighbours who were ungenerous and greedy. Soon they came to know the about story of the dog and the treasure they requested the good old people to borrow the dog. They took the dog home and made many varieties of food for it and asked the dog to show them a place wherein they can get enough money so that they would be happy and be moral to the dog.
The evil couple ill-treated the dog and often used to cuffed it and kicked it. The dog was not happy with the behaviour of the couple and avoided eating the delicious foods made by them. This made the evil couple very angry, and they tied the rope around the dog's neck and dragged it into the garden. The dog did not bark at all wherever the couple took it in the garden. Whatever the couple did to make the dog bark for the treasure has went waste, but after some time the dog stopped at one point and started sniffing. By seeing the dog sniffing the evil couple were happy thinking that it was the place, they were looking for full of treasures. They start digging the place, and they got only dirt and the awful smell of a decomposed dead animal. The evil old couple got disappointed and enraged at this and killed the dog.
Meaning of difficult words:
Numbers | Word | Meanings |
1. | Tit-bit | A small piece of tasty food. |
2. | Wagging | Sway. |
3. | Feast | A large meal. |
4. | Furious | Enraged. |
Reference:
State Council of Educational Research and Training (2018). Term-1 English Standard-9. The Envious Neighbour (pp. 187-190). Published by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation.
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