It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was

　　carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on his way

　　home he had to cross a plank1 lying across a running brook2. As he

　　crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the

　　water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of

　　meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at

　　the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of

　　meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.

　　Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.