Once upon a time a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily.

Encased in the skin of a sheep, the Wolf went out to pasture with the flock, deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure.

When the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, he mistakenly caught up the Wolf instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly.

Moral: If you go looking for trouble, trouble will find you.

A Wolf who had a bone stuck in his throat hired a Crane (a long beaked type of bird), for a large sum, to put her head into his mouth and draw out the bone.

When the Crane had extracted the bone and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed:

“Why, you have already had sufficient compensation, because you were permitted to draw out your head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf.”

Moral: In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape injury.

A Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, decided not to attack the lamb, but to find some reason to justify to the Lamb why the Wolf had the right to eat him. So the Wolf said:

“Sir Lamb, last year you greatly insulted me.”

“But,” bleated the Lamb mournfully, “I was not born last year!”

Then the Wolf said, “You feed in my pasture.”

“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”

Again the Wolf said, “You drink water from my well.”

“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”

Upon which the Wolf seized the Lamb and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my accusations.”

Moral: The tyrant will always find a reason for his tyranny.