The Wolf and the Shepherd by Esopo
The Wolf and the Shepherd is a fable written by Esopo. The story goes as follows: A shepherd was once watching his sheep when a wolf approached him, asking to be let in among the flock. The shepherd, not wanting to lose any of his sheep, agreed to let the wolf join them. However, as soon as the wolf was among the flock, it began to devour them one by one. The moral of the story is that honesty and trustworthiness are essential for building strong relationships, and that one should be cautious when dealing with those who have ulterior motives.
By Esopo · First published 1667 · Genre: Fables, Classic Literature, Children's Literature · 143 words
First lines
A Wolf hung about near a flock of sheep for a long time, but made no attempt to molest them. The Shepherd at first kept a sharp eye on him, for he naturally thought he meant mischief: but as time went by and the Wolf showed no inclination to meddle with the flock, he began to look upon him more as a protector than as an enemy: and when one day some errand took him to the city, he felt no uneasiness at leaving the Wolf with the sheep. But as soon as his back was turned the Wolf attacked them and killed the greater number. When the Shepherd returned and saw the havoc he had wrought, he cried, "It serves me right for trusting my flock to a Wolf. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Wolf and the Shepherd is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1667 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Esopo
- Date: 1667 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fables, Classic Literature, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Folklore
- Length: 143 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Wolf and the Shepherd by Esopo
- 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 Shepherd?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fables first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Wasp And The Snake by Esopo
- The Crow And The Snake by Esopo
- The Ploughman And The Wolf by Esopo
- The Ass The Fox And The Lion by Esopo
- The Stag And The Lion by Esopo
- The Ass And The Mule by Esopo
Genres
- Fables — The work is a short fictional story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral, which is characteristic of fables.
- Classic Literature — The book is authored by Esopo, one of the world's most famous fable creators, which places it under the Classic Literature genre.
- Children's Literature — Fables, including 'The Wolf and the Shepherd', are often used to teach children moral lessons, categorizing it under Children's Literature.
- Fantasy — The book includes anthropomorphic animals capable of speech and human-like behavior, a distinctive trait of Fantasy literature.
Tags
fable · morality · animal characters · conflict · deception · trust · betrayal · wisdom · cautionary tale · nature · friendship · survival