A wolf came upon a lamb straying from the flock, and felt some compunction
about taking the life of so helpless a creature without some plausible
excuse. So he cast about for a grievance and said at last, "Last year,
sirrah, you grossly insulted me." "That is impossible, sir," bleated the
lamb, "for I wasn't born then." "Well," retorted the wolf, "you feed in
my pastures." "That cannot be," replied the lamb, "for I have never yet
tasted grass." "You drink from my spring, then," continued the wolf.
"Indeed, sir," said the poor lamb, "I have never yet drunk anything but my
mother's milk." "Well, anyhow," said the wolf, "I'm not going without my
dinner." And he sprang upon the lamb and devoured it without more ado.
- The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
A wolf resolved to disguise himself in order that he might prey upon a
flock of sheep without fear of detection. So he clothed himself in a
sheepskin and slipped among the sheep when they were out at pasture. He
completely deceived the shepherd, and when the flock was penned for the
night he was shut in with the rest. But that very night, as it happened,
the shepherd, requiring a supply of mutton for the table, laid hands on
the wolf in mistake for a sheep, and killed him with his knife on the
spot.
- The Blind Man and the Cub
There was once a blind man who had so fine a sense of touch that when any
animal was put into his hands he could tell what it was merely by the feel
of it. One day the cub of a wolf was put into his hands, and he was asked
what it was. He felt it for some time, and then said, "Indeed, I am not
sure whether it is a wolf's cub or a fox's. But this I know: It would
never do to trust it in a sheepfold."
Evil tendencies are early shown.
- The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf
A shepherd's boy was tending his flock near a village, and thought it
would be great fun to hoax the villagers by pretending that a wolf was
attacking the sheep; so he shouted out, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when the people
came running up he laughed at them for their pains. He did this more than
once, and every time the villagers found they had been hoaxed, for there
was no wolf at all. At last a wolf really did come, and the boy cried,
"Wolf! Wolf!" as loud as he could. But the people were so used to
hearing him call that they took no notice of his cries for help. And so
the wolf had it all his own way, and killed off sheep after sheep at his
leisure.
You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth.
- The Kid on the Housetop
A kid climbed up onto the roof of an outhouse, attracted by the grass and
other things that grew in the thatch. And as he stood there browsing away
he caught sight of a wolf passing below and jeered at him because he
couldn't reach him. The wolf only looked up and said, "I hear you, my
young friend. But it is not you who mock me, but the roof on which you
are standing."
- The Wolf, the Mother, and Her Child
A hungry wolf was prowling about in search of food. By and by, attracted
by the cries of a child, he came to a cottage. As he crouched beneath the
window, he heard the mother say to the child, "Stop crying, do, or I'll
throw you to the wolf!" Thinking she really meant what she said, he
waited there a long time in the expectation of satisfying his hunger. In
the evening he heard the mother fondling her child and saying, "If the
naughty wolf comes, he shan't get my little one. Daddy will kill him."
The wolf got up in much disgust and walked away. "As for the people in
that house," said he to himself, "you can't believe a word they say."
- The Wolf and the Lion
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 is 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?"
- The Sheep, the Wolf, and the Stag
A stag once asked a sheep to lend him a measure of wheat, saying that his
friend the wolf would be his surety. The sheep, however, was afraid that
they meant to cheat her; so she excused herself, saying, "The wolf is in
the habit of seizing what he wants and running off with it without paying,
and you, too, can run much faster than I. So how shall I he able to come
up with either of you when the debt falls due?"
Two blacks do not make a white.
- The Wolf and the Crane
A wolf once got a bone stuck in his throat. So he went to a crane and
begged her to put her long bill down his throat and pull it out. "I'll
make it worth your while," he added. The crane did as she was asked and
got the bone out quite easily. The wolf thanked her warmly and was just
turning away, when she cried, "What about that fee of mine?" "Well, what
about it?" snapped the wolf, baring his teeth as he spoke. "You can go
about boasting that you once put your head into a wolf's mouth and didn't
get it bitten off. What more do you want?"
- The Wolf and the Sheep
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
passing 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."
- The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape
A wolf charged a fox with theft, which he denied, and the case was brought
before an ape to be tried. When he had heard the evidence on both sides,
the ape gave judgment as follows: "I do not think," he said, "that you, O
wolf, ever lost what you claim. But all the same I believe that you, fox,
are guilty of the theft, in spite of all your denials."
- The Wolf and the Shepherd
A wolf hung about near a flock of sheep for a long time, but made no
attempt to molest them. The shepherd at first kept a sharp eye on him,
for he naturally thought he meant mischief. But as time went by, and the
wolf showed no inclination to meddle with the flock, he began to look upon
him more as a protector than as an enemy; and when one day some errand
took him to the city, he felt no uneasiness at leaving the wolf with the
sheep. But as soon as his back was turned, the wolf attacked them and
killed the greater number. When the shepherd returned and saw the havoc
he had wrought, he cried, "It serves me right for trusting my flock to a
wolf."
- The Ass and the Wolf
An ass was feeding in a meadow, and, catching sight of his enemy the wolf
in the distance, pretended to be very lame and hobbled painfully along.
When the wolf came up he asked the ass how he came to be so lame, and the
ass replied that in going through a hedge he had trodden on a thorn, and
he begged the wolf to pull it out with his teeth, "In case," he said,
'"when you eat me, it should stick in your throat and hurt you very much."
The wolf said he would, and told the ass to lift up his foot, and gave his
whole mind to getting out the thorn. But the ass suddenly let out with
his heels and fetched the wolf a fearful kick in the mouth, breaking his
teeth; and then he galloped off at full speed. As soon as he could speak
the wolf growled to himself, "It serves me right. My father taught me to
kill, and I ought to have stuck to that trade instead of attempting to
cure."
- The Wolf and the Boy
A wolf, who had just enjoyed a good meal and was in a playful mood, caught
sight of a boy lying flat upon the ground, and, realizing that he was
trying to hide, and that it was fear of himself that made him do this, he
went up to him and said, "Aha, I've found you, you see; but if you can say
three things to me, the truth of which cannot be disputed, I will spare
your life." The boy plucked up courage and thought for a moment, and then
he said, "First, it is a pity you saw me; secondly, I was a fool to let
myself be seen; and thirdly, we all hate wolves because they are always
making unprovoked attacks upon our flocks." The wolf replied, "Well, what
you say is true enough from your point of view; so you may go."
- The Lamb Chased by a Wolf
A wolf was chasing a lamb, which took refuge in a temple. The wolf urged
it to come out of the precincts, and said, "If you don't, the priest is
sure to catch you and offer you up in sacrifice on the altar." To which
the lamb replied, "Thanks, I think I'll stay where I am. I'd rather be
sacrificed any day than be eaten up by a wolf."
- The Wolf and the Goat
A wolf caught sight of a goat browsing above him on the scanty herbage
that grew on the top of a steep rock; and being unable to get at her,
tried to induce her to come lower down. "You are risking your life up
there, madam, indeed you are," he called out. "Pray take my advice and
come down here, where you will find plenty of better food." The goat
turned a knowing eye upon him. "It's little you care whether I get good
grass or bad," said she. "What you want is to eat me."
- The Kingdom of the Lion
When the lion reigned over the beasts of the earth he was never cruel or
tyrannical, but as gentle and just as a king ought to be. During his
reign he called a general assembly of the beasts and drew up a code of
laws under which all were to live in perfect equality and harmony. The
wolf and the lamb, the tiger and the stag, the leopard and the kid, the
dog and the hare, all should dwell side by side in unbroken peace and
friendship. The hare said, "Oh! How I have longed for this day when the
weak take their place without fear by the side of the strong!"
- The Kid and the Wolf
A kid strayed from the flock and was chased by a wolf. When he saw he
must be caught he turned round and said to the wolf, "I know, sir, that I
can't escape being eaten by you; and so, as my life is bound to be short,
I pray you let it be as merry as may be. Will you not play me a tune to
dance to before I die?" The wolf saw no objection to having some music
before his dinner; so he took out his pipe and began to play, while the
Kid danced before him. Before many minutes were passed the gods who
guarded the flock heard the sound and came up to see what was going on.
They no sooner clapped eyes on the wolf than they gave chase and drove him
away. As he ran off, he turned and said to the Kid, "It's what I
thoroughly deserve. My trade is the butcher's, and I had no business to
turn piper to please you."
- The Thief and the Innkeeper
A thief hired a room at an inn and stayed there some days on the lookout
for something to steal. No opportunity, however, presented itself, till
one day, when there was a festival to be celebrated, the innkeeper
appeared in a fine new coat and sat down before the door of the inn for an
airing. The thief no sooner set eyes upon the coat than he longed to get
possession of it. There was no business doing, so he went and took a seat
by the side of the innkeeper and began talking to him. They conversed
together for some time, and then the thief suddenly yawned and howled like
a wolf. The innkeeper asked him in some concern what ailed him. The
thief replied, "I will tell you about myself, sir, but first I must beg
you to take charge of my clothes for me, for I intend to leave them with
you. Why I have these fits of yawning I cannot tell. Maybe they are sent
as a punishment for my misdeeds; but, whatever the reason, the facts are
that when I have yawned three times I become a ravening wolf and fly at
men's throats." As he finished speaking he yawned a second time and
howled again as before. The innkeeper, believing every word he said, and
terrified at the prospect of being confronted with a wolf, got up hastily
and started to run indoors; but the thief caught him by the coat and tried
to stop him, crying, "Stay, sir, stay, and take charge of my clothes, or
else I shall never see them again." As he spoke he opened his mouth and
began to yawn for the third time. The innkeeper, mad with the fear of
being eaten by a wolf, slipped out of his coat, which remained in the
other's hands, and bolted into the inn and locked the door behind him; and
the thief then quietly stole off with his spoil.
- The Shepherd and the Wolf
A shepherd found a wolf's cub straying in the pastures, and took him home
and reared him along with his dogs. When the cub grew to his full size,
if ever a wolf stole a sheep from the flock, he used to join the dogs in
hunting him down. It sometimes happened that the dogs failed to come up
with the thief, and, abandoning the pursuit, returned home. The wolf
would on such occasions continue the chase by himself, and when he
overtook the culprit, would stop and share the feast with him, and then
return to the shepherd. But if some time passed without a sheep being
carried off by the wolves, he would steal one himself and share his
plunder with the dogs. The shepherd's suspicions were aroused, and one
day he caught him in the act; and, fastening a rope round his neck, hung
him on the nearest tree.
What's bred in the bone is sure to come out in the flesh.
- The Wolf and the Horse
A wolf on his rambles came to a field of oats, but, not being able to eat
them, he was passing on his way when a horse came along. "Look," said the
wolf, "here's a fine field of oats. For your sake I have left it
untouched, and I shall greatly enjoy the sound of your teeth munching the
ripe grain." But the horse replied, "If wolves could eat oats, my fine
friend, you would hardly have indulged your ears at the cost of your
belly."
There is no virtue in giving to others what is useless to oneself.
- The Dog and the Wolf
A dog was lying in the sun before a farmyard gate when a wolf pounced upon
him and was just going to eat him up. But he begged for his life and
said, "You see how thin I am and what a wretched meal I should make you
now. But if you will only wait a few days, my master is going to give a
feast. All the rich scraps and pickings will fall to me, and I shall get
nice and fat. Then will be the time for you to eat me." The wolf thought
this was a very good plan and went away. Sometime afterwards he came to
the farmyard again and found the dog lying out of reach on the stable
roof. "Come down," he called, "and be eaten. You remember our
agreement?" But the dog said coolly, "My friend, if ever, you catch me
lying down by the gate there again, don't you wait for any feast."
Once bitten, twice shy.
- The Wolf and His Shadow
A wolf who was roaming about on the plain when the sun was getting low in
the sky was much impressed by the size of his shadow, and said to himself,
"I had no idea I was so big. Fancy my being afraid of a lion! Why, I,
not he, ought to be king of the beasts." And, heedless of danger, he
strutted about as if there could be no doubt at all about it. Just then a
lion sprang upon him and began to devour him. "Alas," he cried, "had I
not lost sight of the facts, I shouldn't have been ruined by my fancies."
- The Plowman and the Wolf
A plowman loosed his oxen from the plow and led them away to the water to
drink. While he was absent a half-starved wolf appeared on the scene, and
went up to the plow and began chewing the leather straps attached to the
yoke. As he gnawed away desperately in the hope of satisfying his craving
for food, he somehow got entangled in the harness, and, taking fright,
struggled to get free, tugging at the traces as if he would drag the plow
along with him. Just then the plowman came back, and seeing what was
happening, he cried, "Ah, you old rascal, I wish you would give up
thieving for good and take to honest work instead."
- The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox
A lion, infirm with age, lay sick in his den, and all the beasts of the
forest came to inquire after his health, with the exception of the fox.
The wolf thought this was a good opportunity for paying off old scores
against the fox, so he called the attention of the lion to his absence,
and said, "You see, sire, that we have all come to see how you are, except
the fox, who hasn't come near you, and doesn't care whether you are well
or ill." Just then the fox came in and heard the last words of the wolf.
The lion roared at him in deep displeasure, but he begged to be allowed to
explain his absence and said, "Not one of them cares for you so much as I,
sire, for all the time I have been going round to the doctors and trying
to find a cure for your illness." "And may I ask if you have found one?"
said the lion. "I have, sire," said the fox, "and it is this. You must
flay a wolf and wrap yourself in his skin while it is still warm." The
lion accordingly turned to the wolf and struck him dead with one blow of
his paw, in order to try the fox's prescription; but the fox laughed and
said to himself, "That's what comes of stirring up ill will."
- The Dog Chasing a Wolf
A dog was chasing a wolf, and as he ran he thought what a fine fellow he
was, and what strong legs he had, and how quickly they covered the ground.
"Now, there's this wolf," he said to himself. "What a poor creature he
is. He's no match for me, and he knows it and so he runs away." But the
wolf looked round just then and said, "Don't you imagine I'm running away
from you, my friend. It's your master I'm afraid of."
