The Sweetest Fig
Chris Van Allsburg
 Monsieur Bibot is a self-centered wealthy dentist. He lives alone in Paris, France, in a fancy apartment with his dog, Marcel, whom he mistreats, often by beating him over little things, such as sitting on furniture, and he often drags Marcel around town as part of his "walks". Everything in his life seems quite satisfactory until an impoverished old woman stops by his office to get her tooth extracted. He seems to almost enjoy inflicting pain in this woman. After removing the tooth with a pair of pliers, and about to give a prescription for the painkillers, Bibot is upset when the woman can't pay his fee in cash. Instead, she pays him by giving him two figs which she claims will make his dreams come true. Naturally, Bibot scoffs at the thought of magical figs, and refuses to give her the painkillers. Later that evening, Bibot proceeds to eat one of the figs as a midnight snack. The old woman is right: Bibot finds himself walking Marcel in Paris in his underwear, stared at by the passers-by, and the Eiffel Tower has drooped over; everything in the dream that he had last night has come true. Horrified and embarrassed by this mishap, Bibot vows to hypnotize himself to control his dreams so that he may become the richest man on Earth. This typically self-centered plan involves ditching Marcel, who he has continued to harm in more ways than one, for a string of Great Danes from a dream he had the night before. But one day, when Bibot is preparing dinner, the dog gobbles up the second fig sitting on the table. Bibot is furious and chases the dog around the house. Heartbroken over the fig, Bibot goes to sleep. The next morning, however, Bibot wakes up underneath his bed - as the dog. Needless to say, Bibot is horrified and realizes that the dog was dreaming about finally getting his revenge on his cruel master all along. Marcel, who's now in Bibot's form, tells Bibot it's time for his walk. Bibot tries to yell, but all he can do is bark.