The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Once, on a quiet hillside, a flock of soft, white sheep nibbled grass. A shepherd watched over them with his loyal dog. Not far away, a hungry wolf hid behind a bush. His tummy rumbled, and his eyes followed the sheep.

“I must be clever,” the wolf whispered. “If I run at them, the shepherd will chase me away. I need a trick.”

As the sun moved across the sky, the wolf found something caught on a thorny branch. It was an old sheepskin, left behind after shearing. The wolf’s eyes lit up. “Aha!” he said. “If I look like a sheep, I can walk right into the flock.”

He pulled the sheepskin over his back. It tickled his nose, and he tried a soft “Baa.” He practiced walking slowly, head down, just like a gentle sheep. Then, step by careful step, he joined the flock. The other sheep sniffed. They heard the “Baa” and saw the fluffy coat. They thought he was just a very big, very quiet sheep.

That evening, the shepherd counted his animals. “One, two, three…” He patted their woolly backs. When he came to the wolf in the sheepskin, he nodded. “What a plump sheep,” he said to his dog. “This one will be perfect for our supper.” The wolf’s heart thumped. He tried to smile like a sheep. He kept very, very still.

The shepherd led the flock into the pen, a safe, snug place with a fence and a gate. Then he took the biggest “sheep” aside. The wolf felt proud of his plan. “They believe me,” he thought. “Soon I’ll have a feast!”

But the shepherd was wise. As he set his hand on the thick wool, he felt something hard and sharp beneath. He lifted the edge of the sheepskin and saw bright eyes and big, pointed teeth. “Oh!” said the shepherd softly. “This is no sheep at all. This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Without making a fuss, the shepherd called his dog. Together they ended the wolf’s nasty trick then and there, and the flock was safe again. The other sheep huddled close and felt calm. The shepherd closed the gate and stroked their wool. “You’re safe now,” he said. The dog wagged his tail and kept watch.

The hillside grew quiet once more. The moon rose, and the stars came out. The sheep drifted to sleep, warm and snug in their pen. The shepherd sat by the door, thinking about the day.

In the morning, he told the lambs, “Remember, little ones, a soft coat does not make a gentle heart. Look carefully. Listen carefully. Not everything is what it seems.”

And that is why people say, “Appearances can be deceiving.”