The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
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The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is one of the fables of Aesop.
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[edit] Fable
According to the fable, a hungry wolf came upon a sheep's fleece lying on the ground in a field. The wolf realized that if it wore the fleece, it would look like a sheep from a distance. That would enable the wolf to sneak up on a flock of sheep and steal a lamb for its supper, before the shepherd noticed his presence.
The wolf put on the fleece, and went off in search of a flock of sheep. It spied a flock of sheep just as the sun was setting, and approached the flock. Just as it was about to pounce on a lamb, a shepherd came by, looking for a sheep to slaughter for supper. Thinking the disguised wolf was a sheep, the shepherd quickly grabbed and killed the wolf.
An alternative version is, another wolf is sneaking around looking for a sheep for dinner, and pounces on the wolf in sheep's clothing, killing it and eating it for supper instead of a real sheep.
The intended lesson was, "Frauds and liars are always discovered, eventually, and pay for their actions accordingly."
[edit] Usage
In English, "a wolf in sheep's clothing" has become a common metaphor for any hidden danger, or for any enemy putting on a false display of friendship
Winston Churchill once described a political opponent (either Clement Atlee or Ramsay MacDonald depending upon sources) as a sheep in sheep's clothing. [1]
The image of a wolf in sheep's clothing is common in many cultures, such as it being echoed in Matthew 7:15, which states, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (KJV)[2].
The punk band NOFX released an album entitled Wolves in Wolves' Clothing in 2006.
The phrase was also the inspiration behind the Airwolf series from the 1980s.
[edit] References
- ^ Unsourced quotes attributed to Winston Churchill
- ^ "They Eat Sheep, Don't They?" in Word Journey, May 13, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
