Section 213
The Sheep and the Dog explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
Once upon a time the Sheep complained to the shepherd about the difference in his treatment of themselves and his Dog. "Your conduct," said they, "is very strange and, we think, very unfair. We provide you with wool and lambs and milk and you give us nothing but grass, and eve...
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Public-domain original
Once upon a time the Sheep complained to the shepherd about the
difference in his treatment of themselves and his Dog. "Your conduct,"
said they, "is very strange and, we think, very unfair. We provide you
with wool and lambs and milk and you give us nothing but grass, and
even that we have to find for ourselves: but you get nothing at all
from the Dog, and yet you feed him with tit-bits from your own table."
Their remarks were overheard by the Dog, who spoke up at once and
said, "Yes, and quite right, too: where would you be if it wasn't for
me? Thieves would steal you! Wolves would eat you! Indeed, if I didn't
keep constant watch over you, you would be too terrified even to
graze!" The Sheep were obliged to acknowledge that he spoke the truth,
and never again made a grievance of the regard in which he was held by
his master.
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
Once upon a time the Sheep complained to the shepherd about the difference in his treatment of themselves and his Dog.
Why this scene matters
This fable matters because it turns a common human habit into a short lesson about judgment and consequences.
Characters in this scene
- The Sheep: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Dog: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
In simple terms, The Sheep and The Dog face a small situation that reveals a larger lesson about behavior and consequences.