Aesop
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Greece

The Shepherd and The Wolf

Shepherd rescues and trains a lost Wolf to steal lambs, but the Wolf warns the Shepherd of potential consequences for his own flock.
Consequences
Responsibility
Honesty
Aesop's Fables - The Shepherd and The Wolf
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, a Shepherd found a young Wolf, alone and lost. Feeling compassion for the little creature, he decided to take it in and care for it. As time went on, the Wolf grew strong under the Shepherd's care, becoming more like a dog than a wild beast.

Seeing an opportunity to make his work easier, the Shepherd decided to teach the Wolf how to steal lambs from the flocks that belonged to the other shepherds in the valley. The Wolf proved to be a quick learner. With time, he became so skillful at this craft that he could silently slip away a lamb without any of the other sheep noticing.

One day, after a successful raid, the Wolf turned to the Shepherd and said, "You've taught me well in the art of stealing lambs. But remember, now that I know this craft, you too will have to watch your flock closely. Because if you don't, you might find some of them missing too."

And with that, the Wolf walked off into the pasture, leaving the Shepherd to ponder his words.

Once upon a time, a Shepherd found a young Wolf who looked really, really lost—like when you can't find your favorite toy and it turns out it was under your bed the whole time.

"Aw, are you a 'bark-bark' or a 'grr-grr'?" wondered the Shepherd, scratching his head like he’d just heard a really hard riddle.

Feeling all mushy inside, like when you see a baby kitten, the Shepherd decided, "You're coming with me, little dude!" And just like that, the Wolf became part of the family.

As time went by, the little Wolf got bigger and stronger. He even wagged his tail so much you’d think he was trying to fan the whole world.

One day, the Shepherd had a light-bulb moment! You know, when an idea pops in your head like a bubble. "Hey, buddy! How about you help me out a bit?" So, the Shepherd taught the Wolf how to sneakily take lambs from other people's flocks. "It'll be like a secret mission!" the Shepherd giggled.

The Wolf got really good at it. He was so quiet and sneaky, the other sheep didn't even notice when one of them was gone! He was like a ninja, but fluffier!

But one day, after another mission well done, the Wolf looked at the Shepherd with a big, sneaky grin. "You taught me how to be super good at taking lambs, but don't forget! Now I know your tricks, so you better watch your own sheep too. If you don’t, some might go on a little adventure without asking you first!"

And with a wag of his tail, the Wolf skipped away, leaving the Shepherd standing there, wondering if teaching a wolf to be sneaky was really the best idea he ever had.

Once a shepherd kind and fair,
Found a little wolf in his care.
Lonely, small, the cub did seem,
So he took him home, a kindness dream.

The wolfie grew with love and meal,
Starting to have a doggie feel.
The shepherd thought, “A plan so grand!
He'll help me steal from pasture land.”

So wolfie learned to nab a lamb,
Quiet as a secret, quick as a scam.
From flocks not his, the shepherd grinned,
As wolfie’s crafty skills kicked in.

But one fine day, young wolfie spoke,
His voice so calm, yet it awoke:
"You've taught me well to take, it's true,
But shepherd, now I warn you too.

Guard your sheep both day and night,
For I might give you quite a fright.
You taught me how to steal, you see,
So now you must watch out for me."

With a wink and tail held high,
Into the fields, he said goodbye.
The shepherd stood in puzzled thought,
Of the lesson that the wolf had taught.

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Understanding Questions

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Shepherd chose to teach the Wolf to steal lambs?
  2. How did the Shepherd's actions affect the other shepherds and their flocks?
  3. Can you think of a situation where someone's actions ended up causing them trouble later, similar to the Shepherd's situation?
  4. What lessons can we learn from the Shepherd's decision to teach the Wolf to steal?
  5. How can we apply this story's lesson to our everyday actions and decisions?

Fable Quotes

Be wary of the harm that your actions may invite to your own door.
To save a life is a noble act, but to educate it is a lasting one.
The shadow of deceit can never darken the light of honesty.
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