Aesop
|
Greece

A Wolf and A Sow

A sow refuses a wolf's offer to watch her piglets, seeing through the wolf's true intentions and protecting her young.
Trust
Caution
Deception
Aesop's Fables - A Wolf and A Sow
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there was a Sow who had just given birth to a large litter of piglets. They lay close to their mother in the safety of the sty, enjoying her warmth and protection. Not too far away, a Wolf watched them with eager eyes. She craved a small piglet but had no idea how to get one.

After some thought, the Wolf decided to pretend to be friendly and concerned about the Sow's wellbeing. She approached the sty and with a sweet smile, she called out, "Good day, dear Sow. I see you've been busy with your new little ones. You must be tired. Why not take a short break? Some fresh air would surely do you some good."

The Wolf then added, "And don't you worry about your piglets. I'd be more than happy to watch over them while you're out and about. You need some rest, and I assure you, they will be in safe paws."

The Sow looked up at the Wolf with a knowing gaze. She was not fooled by the Wolf's sugary words. She knew very well the Wolf's true nature and what would happen to her little ones if she left them in her care. So, she replied, "Thank you very much for your kind offer, but I am quite content here with my little ones. If you really wanted to do me a favor, you would stay away from us."

And so, the Wolf had to slink away, her cunning plan foiled by the wise Sow. The piglets continued to play around their mother, safe and sound in the sty.

Once upon a time, in a super cozy sty, there was a Sow and her whole heap of piglets. They were cuddled up like a pile of fluffy pillows. Ah, life was good!

Meanwhile, lurking like a shadow in the nearby woods was a Wolf. She had that look of "I want something, and I want it bad!" Maybe you've seen that look before—like when you want the last piece of pizza, but someone else gets it first.

So the Wolf thought, "Ah-ha! Time for Operation Be-Friend-The-Sow." She put on her biggest, cheesiest grin and pranced over to the sty. "Hey there, Mrs. Sow! Wow, look at all these little piggies! You must be as tired as a dog after a game of fetch!"

The Wolf wagged her tail and added, "Why don't you take a break? Go for a walk, sniff some flowers. I promise, I'll watch your piglets like they're gold nuggets!"

Mrs. Sow looked up, her eyes twinkling like she just heard the world's funniest joke. "Oh, you'd watch them like gold nuggets, alright. Nuggets for your dinner, maybe!"

The Wolf looked surprised, her ears dropping like deflated balloons. "No, really, I promise they'll be in safe paws!"

Mrs. Sow chuckled. "Safe paws? More like 'let's have pork chops for dinner' paws. But thanks for the laugh. If you really want to help, why don't you do a little dance? A dance far, far away from here!"

The Wolf's jaw dropped as if she’d been told her tail was actually a feather duster. "Alright, alright, no need to make a joke about it," she said, and then skedaddled like her tail was on fire.

And so, Mrs. Sow and her piglets continued their snuggle party, safe and sound, while the Wolf had to rethink her dinner plans—maybe a salad instead?

In a cozy farm nook, not so far from the brook,
Lived Mama Pig and her piglets, in their own little nook.
They snuggled up tight, in the soft straw bed,
While dreams of sweet corn danced in each head.

But outside the fence, with a hungry frown,
A Wolf sneaked around, looking up and down.
She thought, "Oh, a piglet would be quite a treat,
But how can I get one, so small and petite?"

The Wolf wore a smile, as she cooked up a plan,
"I'll act all nice, like a friend, not a scam."
So, she pranced to the pen, and said with a cheer,
"Hello, Mama Pig, your babies are dear!"

"You must be so tired, with your piglets all day,
Why not take a break? Come on, what do you say?
I'll look after them, while you stretch your feet,
You can trust in me, I promise, no cheat!"

Mama Pig looked up, her eyes filled with knowing,
She said, "Thanks, Mrs. Wolf, but we're not going."
"If you really want to help, let me give you a clue,
The best thing to do is stay far from our crew."

The Wolf's plan was busted, there was nothing to say,
With her tail between her legs, she just slinked away.
Mama Pig grinned wide, her piglets safe and sound,
For in their cozy home, love and wisdom were found.

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Understanding Questions

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Wolf wanted to watch over the Sow's piglets?
  2. How did the Sow know not to trust the Wolf, even though she seemed friendly?
  3. Can you think of a time when you or someone else had to be careful about who to trust, just like the Sow?
  4. What does this story teach us about trust and understanding the true intentions of others?
  5. How can we apply the lesson from this story to be careful about who we trust in our own lives?

Fable Quotes

Trust your instincts, for they see through the disguise of deceit.
Caution is the shield that guards the innocent from the cunning of the wolf.
Appearances can be deceiving, but wisdom sees through the disguise and reveals the truth.
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