The Wolf and the Lamb is a famous fable by Aesop. It tells the story of a hungry wolf who invents false excuses to attack an innocent lamb. The fable teaches lessons about justice, power, and the abuse of authority.
Summary
One day, a lamb is drinking water from a stream. Upstream, a hungry wolf sees the lamb and wants to eat it.
The wolf accuses the lamb of making the water dirty. The lamb politely explains that this is impossible because the water flows from the wolf to the lamb.
The wolf then makes another accusation, saying that the lamb insulted him the previous year. The lamb replies that he was not even born then.
The wolf continues making false excuses because he has already decided to eat the lamb. Finally, without listening to reason, the wolf attacks and kills the innocent lamb.
The story ends by showing that the wolf never wanted justice—he only wanted an excuse to satisfy his hunger.
Main Characters
The Wolf – A cruel and powerful animal who uses false accusations to justify his actions.
The Lamb – An innocent, polite, and helpless animal who tries to defend himself with logic and truth.
Themes
- Justice and injustice
- Abuse of power
- Innocence and cruelty
- Truth and lies
- Strength versus weakness
Message
The fable teaches that those who are determined to do wrong often invent false reasons to justify their actions. It also shows that power without justice can lead to cruelty and unfairness.
Conclusion
