Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing explained
A Wolf disguises himself in a sheepskin to prey on a flock undetected, but is mistakenly killed by the shepherd who mistakes him for a sheep.
What happens
A Wolf disguises himself in a sheepskin to prey on a flock undetected, but is mistakenly killed by the shepherd who mistakes him for a sheep.
Themes in this chapter
Cunning and Deception
The Wolf's disguise is a deliberate act of deception to gain advantage.
Justice and Consequence
The Wolf's deceit leads directly to his own unintended death, illustrating poetic justice.
Characters to notice
- The Wolf
Disguises himself in a sheepskin to deceive the shepherd and prey on the flock.
- The Shepherd
Unwittingly pens the disguised wolf and later kills him, mistaking him for a sheep.
Key passages
“A Wolf resolved to disguise himself in order that he might prey upon a flock of sheep without fear of detection.”
A Wolf decided to wear a disguise so he could attack the sheep without being caught.
Sets up the Wolf's cunning plan.
“He completely deceived the shepherd, and when the flock was penned for the night he was shut in with the rest.”
The shepherd was fully fooled, and the Wolf was locked in the pen with the sheep for the night.
Highlights the success of the deception.
“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.”
That same night, the shepherd needed mutton for dinner and grabbed the Wolf by mistake, killing him instantly.
The ironic twist where the deceiver becomes the victim.