# The Wolf and the Shepherd explained — Aesop's Fables

> Chapter companion for Aesop's Fables by Aesop.

## What happens

A shepherd grows complacent after a wolf lingers near his flock without attacking, eventually trusting the wolf to guard the sheep while he is away. The wolf seizes the opportunity to slaughter most of the flock, and the shepherd realizes his folly in trusting a natural predator.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cunning and Deception

The wolf deceives the shepherd by pretending to be harmless, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

### Wisdom and Foolishness

The shepherd's foolish trust in a natural enemy leads to disaster, highlighting the need for wisdom in judging character.

## Character check-ins

### The Wolf

The wolf feigns harmlessness to gain the shepherd's trust, then attacks the flock when left unguarded.

### The Shepherd

The shepherd naively trusts the wolf, leaving his flock in the wolf's care, and suffers the consequences.

### The Sheep

The sheep are the vulnerable flock that the wolf kills after the shepherd's departure.

## Key lines

> It serves me right for trusting my flock to a Wolf.

I deserve this for leaving my sheep in the care of a wolf.

_The shepherd's lament underscores the moral of the fable: one should not trust an enemy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters/the-wolf-and-the-shepherd
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters