LE LOUP DEVENU BERGER
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Once, there was a hungry wolf. He wanted to eat sheep. But the sheep were very fast. The wolf ran and ran. He could not catch them. He was very hungry every day. He thought about a clever trick. He needed a good idea for food.
The wolf had a big, new trick. He wanted to look like a kind shepherd. Shepherds take good care of sheep. Sheep always trust their shepherd. He wanted sheep to trust him. He found some old shepherd clothes. He found a big shepherd's coat.
The wolf put on a big shirt. It was a shepherd's shirt. He took a long stick. This was a shepherd's stick. He put on a shepherd's bag. He looked like a shepherd now. This was his plan. He walked very slowly.
The wolf walked to the green field. The Shepherd was sleeping there. The Dog was sleeping too. Many white sheep slept near them. Everyone was quiet and still. The wolf walked very slowly. He did not make a sound.
The wolf had to talk. He wanted a soft shepherd's voice. He wanted the sheep to follow him. He opened his mouth to speak. He tried to sound like a kind man. This was part of his trick. He thought it would work.
But the wolf could not speak like a man. A loud, wild wolf sound came out. It was a big, scary howl. The sound went through the quiet trees. Everyone woke up suddenly. The wolf's trick was not working. His true voice was too loud.
The white sheep opened their eyes. The Dog jumped up quickly. The Shepherd woke up fast. They heard the loud wolf sound. They saw the wolf in clothes. They were all very scared.
The wolf wanted to run away. But the big shirt was too tight. His legs got stuck in it. He could not run fast. He could not fight them. The wolf was caught. His disguise stopped him.
It is always best to be yourself. Tricks do not work for long. Be true to who you are. People will know the truth. Bad tricks always fail.
Original Story
LE LOUP DEVENU BERGER.
Un loup, qui commençoit d’avoir petite part
Aux brebis de son voisinage,
Crut qu’il falloit s’aider de la peau du renard,
Et faire un nouveau personnage.
Il s’habille en berger, endosse un hoqueton,
Fait sa houlette d’un bâton,
Sans oublier la cornemuse.
Pour pousser jusqu’au bout la ruse,
Il auroit volontiers écrit sur son chapeau:
«C’est moi qui suis Guillot, berger de ce troupeau.»
Sa personne étant ainsi faite,
Et ses pieds de devant posés sur sa houlette,
Guillot le sycophante approche doucement.
Guillot, le vrai Guillot, étendu sur l’herbette,
Dormoit alors profondément;
Son chien dormoit aussi, comme aussi sa musette;
La plupart des brebis dormoient pareillement.
L’hypocrite les laissa faire;
Et, pour pouvoir mener vers son fort les brebis,
Il voulut ajouter la parole aux habits,
Chose qu’il croyoit nécessaire.
Mais cela gâta son affaire:
Il ne put du pasteur contrefaire la voix.
Le ton dont il parla fit retentir les bois,
Et découvrit tout le mystère.
Chacun se réveille à ce son,
Les brebis, le chien, le garçon.
Le pauvre loup, dans cet esclandre,
Empêché par son hoqueton,
Ne put ni fuir ni se défendre.
Toujours par quelque endroit fourbes se laissent prendre.
Quiconque est loup agisse en loup;
C’est le plus certain de beaucoup.
IV
Story DNA
Moral
Those who try to deceive will always be exposed by some flaw, and it is best to act according to one's true nature.
Plot Summary
A hungry wolf, struggling to catch sheep, decides to disguise himself as a shepherd. He meticulously dresses in a shepherd's tunic, takes a staff, and approaches the sleeping flock, shepherd, and dog. Believing his visual disguise is perfect, he attempts to speak like a shepherd to lead the sheep away, but his true wolf's howl escapes instead, waking everyone. The wolf, hindered by his cumbersome disguise, is unable to flee or defend himself, proving that deception ultimately fails.
Themes
Emotional Arc
cunning to failure
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine's fables often drew on classical sources (Aesop) and were popular in 17th-century France, reflecting societal norms and offering moral instruction through animal characters.
Plot Beats (9)
- A wolf is struggling to catch sheep from nearby flocks.
- He decides to adopt a cunning disguise, dressing as a shepherd.
- The wolf meticulously puts on a tunic, takes a staff, and even a bagpipe, wishing he could write his name as 'Guillot' on his hat.
- He approaches the sleeping shepherd, Guillot, his dog, and the flock.
- To complete his ruse and lead the sheep away, the wolf attempts to speak like a shepherd.
- However, his voice is not that of a shepherd; his true wolf's howl rings out, waking everyone.
- The sheep, the dog, and the shepherd all awaken to the sound.
- The wolf, entangled in his shepherd's tunic, is unable to flee or defend himself.
- The fable concludes with the moral that deceivers are always caught and one should act according to their true nature.
Characters
The Wolf
A large, gaunt wolf, likely with a lean and powerful build from a life of hunting. His fur would be matted and dusty, reflecting his struggle to find food. His paws are large and calloused.
Attire: Disguised in a rough, homespun shepherd's tunic (hoqueton) made of coarse, undyed wool, likely ill-fitting and stretched over his lupine frame. He also carries a shepherd's crook (houlette) fashioned from a simple wooden stick and a set of rustic bagpipes (cornemuse) slung over his shoulder.
Wants: To obtain food (sheep) easily and consistently, driven by hunger and a desire to avoid the difficulty of traditional hunting.
Flaw: His inability to perfectly mimic human speech, his inherent lupine nature, and his overconfidence in his disguise.
He attempts to transform his identity from a predator to a protector but fails spectacularly, revealing that one cannot truly change their fundamental nature. He learns that deceit, when not perfectly executed, leads to exposure and failure.
Cunning, desperate, opportunistic, overconfident, foolish.
Guillot (the Shepherd)
A sturdy, sun-weathered young man, likely of average height with a lean, muscular build from working outdoors. His hands would be calloused from handling sheep and his crook.
Attire: Typical French peasant shepherd attire of the era: a simple, practical linen shirt, sturdy wool breeches, and perhaps a rough wool vest or jacket. He would wear practical leather boots or wooden clogs. His clothing would be worn and patched, reflecting his humble profession.
Wants: To care for his flock and live a peaceful life.
Flaw: His deep sleep, which leaves his flock vulnerable.
He is roused from his sleep by the wolf's failed deception, implying he becomes more vigilant.
Trusting (initially), hardworking, observant (once awake), simple.
The Shepherd's Dog
A sturdy, medium-to-large sized shepherd dog, likely a breed common in rural France, such as a Briard or Beauceron type. Its fur would be thick and practical, possibly shaggy, providing protection from the elements. It would have strong legs and a watchful demeanor.
Attire: None, as a working dog.
Wants: To protect its master and the flock.
Flaw: Its vulnerability to deep sleep.
Roused from sleep by the wolf's cry, it fulfills its role as a protector.
Loyal, protective, watchful, responsive.
The Sheep
A flock of typical domestic sheep, likely of a breed common in rural France. They would have thick, white, woolly fleeces, sturdy bodies, and slender legs.
Attire: None, as animals.
Wants: To graze and live peacefully.
Flaw: Their defenselessness against predators.
They are initially asleep, then startled awake by the wolf's cry, realizing the danger.
Placid, docile, easily startled, vulnerable.
Locations
The Pasture
A quiet, grassy pasture where the sheep graze. The true shepherd, Guillot, and his dog are fast asleep on the soft grass, along with most of the flock. The surrounding area includes woods that echo with sound.
Mood: Initially peaceful and serene, then suddenly disrupted and chaotic.
The wolf, disguised as a shepherd, attempts to lead the sheep away, but his true voice reveals his deception, waking everyone.
Edge of the Woods
The boundary where the open pasture meets the dense, echoing woods. This is where the wolf's loud, un-shepherd-like voice reverberates, revealing his true nature.
Mood: Initially quiet and observant, then filled with sudden alarm and the reverberation of a loud, guttural sound.
The wolf's attempt to speak like a shepherd fails here, his true voice echoing through the trees and exposing his disguise.