FABLE XXV
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
One hot day, a big Wolf and a little Lamb came to a cool stream. They were very thirsty. The sun was high in the sky. It made the animals hot. The stream water was clear and fresh. Both animals wanted to drink water. They walked to the stream.
Wolf stood up high. He was near the water's start. This was the top part. Lamb stood down low. He was far from the water's start. This was the bottom part. The water went from Wolf to Lamb. Wolf was upstream. Lamb was downstream. The water flowed fast.
Wolf wanted to be mean. He looked at Lamb with angry eyes. Wolf was very angry. He did not like Lamb. He said, "You make my water dirty! I cannot drink it now. The water is muddy. Why do you do this bad thing?"
Lamb was scared. He spoke softly. His voice was small. Lamb said, "No, I do not. I cannot do this. The water comes to me. It comes from you. I drink water after you. I cannot make your water dirty. It flows from you to me."
Wolf did not listen. He was still angry. Wolf did not care. He wanted to fight. Wolf said, "You are bad! You talked about me. You said bad things. This was a long time ago. I heard you then."
Lamb was very small. He was very young. Lamb had soft wool. Lamb said, "No, I did not. I was not born then. I was not here a long time ago. I was a baby."
Wolf was very mad. He growled loud. His teeth were sharp. Wolf did not like truth. Wolf said, "It was you! Or it was your father! It is the same thing. You are still bad! I know it!"
The Wolf roared and jumped. He showed his big teeth. The little Lamb ran very fast. He ran away. The Lamb was safe. The Wolf was still angry, all alone. It is not good to be mean for no reason.
Original Story
FABLE XXV.
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
One hot, sultry day, a Wolf and a Lamb happened to come just at the same time to quench their thirst in the stream of a clear, silver brook, that ran tumbling down the side of a rocky mountain. The Wolf stood upon the higher ground, and the Lamb at some distance from him down the current. However, the Wolf, having a mind to pick a quarrel with him, asked him what he meant by disturbing the water, and making it so muddy that he could not drink, and at the same time demanded satisfaction. The Lamb, frightened at this threatening charge, told him, in a tone as mild as possible, that, with humble submission, he could not conceive how that could be, since the water which he drank ran down from the Wolf to him, and therefore it could not be disturbed so far up the stream. "Be that as it will," replies the Wolf, "you are a rascal; and I have been told that you treated me with ill-language behind my back about half a year ago." "Upon my word," says the Lamb, "the time you mention was before I was born." The Wolf finding it to no purpose to argue any longer against truth, fell into a great passion, snarling and foaming at the mouth, as if he had been mad; and, drawing nearer to the Lamb, "Sirrah," said he, "if it was not you, it was your father, and that's all one." So he seized the poor innocent, helpless thing, tore it to pieces, and made a meal of it.
MORAL.
Bad men, who wish to quarrel, will always find a pretence; if they can find no true grounds, they will resort to those which are false.
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
Story DNA
Moral
Bad men, who wish to quarrel, will always find a pretence; if they can find no true grounds, they will resort to those which are false.
Plot Summary
A Wolf and a Lamb arrive at a stream to drink, with the Wolf positioned upstream. The Wolf, wanting to quarrel, falsely accuses the Lamb of muddying his water. The Lamb logically refutes this, explaining the water flows downstream. The Wolf then invents another false accusation about the Lamb speaking ill of him months ago, which the Lamb also refutes by stating he wasn't born then. Enraged by the truth, the Wolf abandons all pretense, declares that if it wasn't the Lamb, it was his father, and then brutally attacks and devours the innocent Lamb.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Aesop's Fables are a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. They are characterized by their brevity and moral lessons.
Plot Beats (8)
- A Wolf and a Lamb arrive at a clear brook to drink on a hot day.
- The Wolf positions himself on higher ground, upstream, while the Lamb is downstream.
- The Wolf, wanting to pick a fight, accuses the Lamb of muddying his drinking water.
- The Lamb meekly explains that the water flows from the Wolf to him, so he couldn't have muddied it upstream.
- The Wolf ignores the logic and accuses the Lamb of speaking ill of him six months ago.
- The Lamb truthfully replies that he wasn't born six months ago.
- Frustrated by the truth, the Wolf becomes furious, snarls, and declares that if it wasn't the Lamb, it was his father, which is the same.
- The Wolf then attacks the helpless Lamb, kills it, and eats it.
Characters
The Wolf
A large, powerful wolf with a lean, muscular build. His coat is likely a grizzled grey or dark brown, matted in places from his wild existence. His eyes are sharp and predatory, reflecting a cunning and aggressive nature. He moves with a confident, imposing presence.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural fur coat serves as his 'attire'.
Wants: To satisfy his hunger and exert dominance, using any excuse to justify his actions.
Flaw: His overwhelming hunger and inherent cruelty, which lead him to irrational arguments and ultimately violence.
No arc; he remains a cruel, predatory figure throughout the story, acting on his base instincts.
Aggressive, deceitful, irrational, cruel, impatient.
The Lamb
A small, young lamb with a soft, fluffy white wool coat. His build is delicate and innocent, typical of a young animal. He appears vulnerable and harmless, with gentle features.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural wool coat serves as his 'attire'.
Wants: To quench his thirst and live peacefully. His primary motivation in the interaction is to logically defend himself against false accusations.
Flaw: Physical vulnerability, lack of power, and an inability to defend himself against a stronger, irrational aggressor.
No arc; he remains innocent and helpless, ultimately becoming a victim.
Innocent, mild-mannered, logical, submissive, helpless.
Locations
Clear Silver Brook on Rocky Mountain
A clear, silver brook tumbles down the side of a rocky mountain. The water is pristine and flowing, with a higher ground where the wolf stands and a lower current where the lamb is. The day is hot and sultry.
Mood: Initially peaceful and refreshing, quickly turning tense and threatening.
The Wolf and the Lamb meet to drink, and the Wolf initiates a false accusation leading to the Lamb's demise.