Section 122
The Wolf and the Lion explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A wolf stole a lamb from the flock, and was carrying it off to devour it at his leisure when he met a Lion, who took his prey away from him and walked off with it. He dared not resist, but when the Lion had gone some distance he said, "It is most unjust of you to take...
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Public-domain original
A wolf stole a lamb from the flock, and was carrying it off to devour
it at his leisure when he met a Lion, who took his prey away from him
and walked off with it. He dared not resist, but when the Lion had
gone some distance he said, "It is most unjust of you to take what's
mine away from me like that." The Lion laughed and called out in
reply, "It was justly yours, no doubt! The gift of a friend, perhaps,
eh?"
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A wolf steals a lamb but loses it to a stronger lion.
Why this scene matters
This fable shows that stolen gains are insecure when a stronger thief appears.
Characters in this scene
- Wolf: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Lion: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
A wolf carries off a lamb. A lion takes it from him, and the wolf complains despite being a thief himself.