A young lamb, full of joy, sets off to visit his Granny, encountering various predators along the way who express their desire to eat him. Each time, he cleverly responds that he is on his way to Granny's house to get fat, which convinces the predators to let him pass. Upon reaching his Granny's house, he requests to be put in a corn-bin to grow plump, which she obliges. After a week of feasting, he devises a plan to avoid being eaten on his return journey. He asks his Granny to make a drum out of his deceased brother's skin, allowing him to hide inside it. As he travels back, he encounters the same predators, who inquire about the lamb. He mischievously informs them that Lambikin has fallen into the fire, leading them to regret missing their chance to eat him. However, when the Jackal recognizes Lambikin's voice, he tears open the drum and eats him. The story concludes with a cautionary note about the consequences of cleverness and the dangers that lurk even for the seemingly innocent.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1899 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fable, Fantasy