The Dog Who Went Abroad

A long dry season left very little food in Spot’s town. Hungry and worried, the brown village dog decided to travel to a distant city where he had heard that every market overflowed with food.

The city truly had wonderful smells. One careless household left its kitchen door open, and Spot found rice, bread, and vegetables each day. For the first time in months, he ate until he was full.

But whenever Spot stepped back into the street, the local dogs surrounded him. They treated every stranger as an intruder, barking, chasing, and nipping at his heels. Spot could eat well, but he never rested peacefully.

After several anxious days, he thought, “What good is a full bowl if I must fear every doorway? At home food is scarce, but my family knows me and no one hunts me through the street.”

Spot returned to his town. His relatives crowded around and asked about the distant place. “The food is plentiful,” he told them, “and many doors stand open. But the dogs there do not welcome a newcomer. I would rather share a little in peace than eat a feast in fear.”

The family greeted him warmly and divided what they had. Spot also taught them what he had learned about finding food carefully during dry seasons. The meal was modest, yet he slept safely among familiar friends. Home’s greatest richness was not the bowl—it was belonging.