My First Fable

Tell Me A Story Lesson Two

Write a Fable:

Fill in the outline below to plan your fable:

Characters (fables include animals that have human characteristics) 2 Stray dogs: Jack and Barney, and one dog with a home: Chance

Problem (the problem deals with natural happenings in life: someone is unfair to another, hunger, poverty, greed.) Chance runs away from his “people” for a day of adventure. He meets up with Jack and Barney in the park. Jack thinks Chance is a really cool dog and would rather hang around with him than Barney. .

Main Events (How the problem is overcome, if it is, what qualities does the character need to have to overcome the problem?) When a coyote surprises Jack and Chance in the woods, Chance runs away. Barney helps to distract the coyote so he and Jack can get away, thus saving Jack

Conclusion - what is the moral of the story? The moral of the story is: during rough times, true friendship will shine through.


Assignment 2:

Barney and Jack started the day as any two stray dogs would, looking for food. Food, for them, though, was easy to come by. They simply went to the park, turned on the charm, and got all the food they could needed. The same people were at the park early in the day – the older ladies loved them. It became a ritual. Barney and Jack put on their saddest faces and the ladies brought out goodies from their bags. It started with just popcorn and nuts, which the ladies brought for the birds. But soon the ladies knew Barney and Jack would be along, and the snacks got bigger until their morning meal was quite satisfying. The men were good for playing fetch for an hour as they talked about politics and world affairs. Barney and Jack didn’t understand the things the men talked about, but they loved to chase sticks.

After their normal morning routine, the pair were laying under a tree in the shade. Barney noticed a dog they hadn’t seen before. He was well-groomed and wearing not only a collar but a blue bandana. As the dog got closer, Jack noticed he smelled strange. He realized this was the smell of a clean dog, unnaturally clean. He was wearing a bright blue backpack. Jack paid him little notice, thinking his people would be along for him any time.

“Hi!” Barney barked as the strange dog got closer. “Who are you?”

“My name’s Chance. Do you guys live here?” the dog barked back.

“Well, we live over there by the woods. I’m Barney and this is Jack.” Barney pointed his nose toward his friend.

“From the way you’re dressed, I’d say you have people, huh?” Jack asked, disinterested.

“I’m taking the day off from them,” Chance quipped. “They are boring and dull. They pack all of the kids’ stuff in this backpack and I lug it around for them. I took off when they were here early this morning. They must have quit looking for me. Probably called Animal Control to come out looking for me, I’m sure, but I need some time away. Life with them is so dull,” Chance yawned.




“What’s it like living with people?” Barney asked eagerly. “It must be cool! You get to go inside at night, and sleep in a real bed, huh?”

Jack paid little attention to the new arrival. “Come on, Barney. Let’s go see if the kids are down by the pond yet.”

“Come on, Jack, we’ve got a guest. Don’t be rude. Let’s see what he wants to do.”

“Well,” started Chance, “I’d like to see what it’s like in the woods. I always get called back when I’m headed that way. You guys said you live there. Maybe you could show me around?”

“Sure!” Barney yapped happily.

“We don’t,” Jack snapped, “live in the woods. We live on the edge of the woods.” He turned to his friend. “You know better than to go in there, Barney. You know what can happen.”

“Come on,” Chance chided, “you’re not scared of the woods are you? I mean, if we’re going to be friends, we have to do things the other one wants to do, don’t we?”

“Yeah, we’re going to be friends, Chance!” Barney was ecstatic at the idea of a new friend. “So let’s show him around the woods, Jack. Come on!” Barney raced for the woods, Chance running happily behind him.

Jack stayed in the park, where he knew it was safe. He stared in disbelief as his friend of five years ran off with the other dog. “How could he just leave me like that?” he asked, to no one in particular.


Barney didn’t stop running until he was well into the woods. His new friend, Chance, was right behind him.

“So, what’s it like living with people?” Barney asked as the two slowed to a trot.

“It’s not so bad, I guess.” Chance panted, stopping to rest. “This is pretty cool, though, running in the woods. I’ve never done that before. It must be fun not having anyone to answer to.”

“We’ve got a pretty good life, me and…” Barney stopped short before he could get out his dear friend’s name. He smelled something he didn’t like, something that scared him into stillness.

“What’s wrong?” Chance barked.

“Shhh,” Barney whispered, but it was too late. He saw the wolf come around from behind a tree. Barney froze, almost unable to breathe.

“Cool.” Chance yapped happily. “Is this another friend of yours?”

The wolf bared her teeth, growling at the two dogs. Chance glanced back at Barney for some reassurance. The wolf was slowly moving forward toward Barney.

“You’ve got to help me,” Barney whispered to Chance. “If we do it right, she won’t know which one of us to chase and we can both get away back to the park.”

“No way!” Chance jumped into a run, headed the way they had come.

“Come back!” Barney begged. The hair on the wolf’s back stood up. She was salivating, her white teeth chomping as she moved closer to Barney. He couldn’t outrun her alone. Chance had abandoned him, left him for dead.

“Get away, you no good bully!” Jack growled from behind the wolf. His teeth bared as well, he did his best to intimidate the wolf. She stood between the two, glancing back and forth between them. “GO!” Jack shouted to his friend.

Both dogs took off in separate directions. The wolf chased Jack first. Barney circled around, coming up behind the wolf. “Get out of here!” he shouted at her.

As Barney sped through the woods he could feel the wolf’s hot breathe on his back legs. He knew she was too close. He started to feel weak, his legs straining to keep going.

“Leave him alone!” He heard Jack bark loudly. The wolf turned in Jack’s direction now.

Barney could see the edge of the park. He could hear the children playing in the playground. He pushed himself further, his muscles straining as he ran faster than he thought he could. He’d be safe in the park. The wolf would not go near the people.

Barney reached the playground and collapsed. Where was Jack? “Jack? Jack?” he whimpered, his voice barely audible. He lay still, hoping his friend was okay. Even after he left the park with Chance, thinking he had a new friend, leaving Jack alone, Jack had still come for him. He had been there to save him.

Pulling together his last bit of strength, Barney knew what he had to do. He had to go back for Jack. He trotted toward the woods, unsure where he should start. Just then, like a silver flash, Jack shot out of the woods. The wolf did not follow. She had turned away at the sight of the people in the park.

“Jack! “ Barney barked loudly. “Jack, you made it! I can’t believe you came for me!” Barney jumped toward his buddy, knocking them both to the ground. They rolled around, happy each other was still alive.

“Of course I came for you, Barney! We’re buddies, remember?” Jack licked Barney’s face.

“I’m so sorry I left with Chance. I thought he wanted to be my friend. I thought he wanted to be our friend, Jack.”

“It’s okay, Buddy. Real friends don’t let things like that come between them. I told you I’d always be your friend, no matter what.”

“And I’ll always be your friend, Jack!” The two laid in the sun, resting their aching muscles.

“Jack, Barney!” They awoke from their nap.

“Hey, Barney, it’s the boy with the sandwiches!” Jack jumped up. “What do you say we eat lunch?”

“Sounds great, Friend!” Barney followed Jack as he ran toward the boy who held their lunch in a brown paper bag.