The Wolf and the Feeding Goat
In this short story, a wolf is fed by a goat who has been tricked into believing that the wolf is a kind and gentle creature. However, as soon as the goat falls asleep, the wolf devours it. The story highlights the dangers of naivety and the importance of being cautious in one's interactions with others.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, Satire · 130 words
First lines
A Wolf saw a Goat feeding at the summit of a rock, where he could not get at her.
"Why do you stay up there in that sterile place and go hungry?" said the
Wolf. "Down here where I am the broken-bottle vine cometh up as a flower, the celluloid collar blossoms as the rose, and the tin-can tree brings forth after its kind."
"That is true, no doubt," said the Goat, "but how about the circus-poster crop. I hear that it failed this year down there."
What this Textopian page supports
The Wolf and the Feeding Goat is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Satire, Horror, Mystery
- Length: 130 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Wolf and the Feeding Goat by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Wolf and the Feeding Goat?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Fiction — No specific information about the book is available but as Ambrose Bierce is known to be a fiction writer, Fiction is the first genre to be highlighted.
- Short Stories — Ambrose Bierce is widely known for his short stories, so this genre is a strong possibility.
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce's works often contain satirical elements so it is plausible that this book also belongs to the Satire genre.
- Horror — Ambrose Bierce wrote a number of horror stories, and given the menacing implications in the title, The Wolf and the Feeding Goat, this genre could apply.
Tags
fable · folklore · wolves · goats · nature · animals · survival · power · greed · deception · betrayal · moral