Section 138
The Wolf and the Sheep explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Wolf was worried and badly bitten by dogs, and lay a long time for dead. By and by he began to revive, and, feeling very hungry, called out to a ping Sheep and said, "Would you kindly bring me some water from the stream close by? I can manage about meat, if only I could get something...
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Public-domain original
A Wolf was worried and badly bitten by dogs, and lay a long time for
dead. By and by he began to revive, and, feeling very hungry, called
out to a ping Sheep and said, "Would you kindly bring me some water
from the stream close by? I can manage about meat, if only I could
get something to drink." But this Sheep was no fool. "I can quite
understand", said he, "that if I brought you the water, you would have
no difficulty about the meat. Good-morning."
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
What happens here
A sick wolf asks a sheep for water, promising to find food himself.
Why this scene matters
This fable warns against trusting gentle words from someone whose nature remains dangerous.
Characters in this scene
- Wolf: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Sheep: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
The wolf asks the sheep to bring water. The sheep knows that once he drinks, he will look for meat.