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Aesop's Fables · Chapter

The Kid and the Wolf explained

A Kid, separated from the flock and pursued by a Wolf, cleverly asks the Wolf to play a tune so he can dance before being eaten.

What happens

A Kid, separated from the flock and pursued by a Wolf, cleverly asks the Wolf to play a tune so he can dance before being eaten. The Wolf agrees, but the music attracts the flock's guardians, who chase the Wolf away. The Wolf realizes he deserves his fate for abandoning his predatory role to indulge his prey.

Themes in this chapter

  • Cunning and Deception

    The Kid's request for a tune is a clever ruse to buy time and attract help, deceiving the Wolf into delaying his attack.

  • Wisdom and Foolishness

    The Wolf's foolishness in abandoning his nature as a butcher to play the piper leads to his downfall, contrasting with the Kid's wise stratagem.

Characters to notice

  • The Kid

    Uses cunning to delay his fate by asking the Wolf to play a tune, leading to his rescue.

  • The Wolf

    Foolishly agrees to play music instead of acting as a predator, allowing the Kid's escape and facing consequences.

Key passages

  • “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 Kid acknowledges his inevitable death but asks the Wolf to play music so he can dance and enjoy his final moments.

    The Kid uses flattery and a plea for merriment to manipulate the Wolf.

  • “It’s what I thoroughly deserve: my trade is the butcher’s, and I had no business to turn piper to please you.”

    The Wolf admits his punishment is just, as he abandoned his role as a killer to become an entertainer for the Kid.

    The Wolf's self-reflection underscores the moral about sticking to one's nature.

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