The Lamb.
A Lamb, which from sheer folly had donned a wolf's skin, went to the sheep-fold, there to strut about in it. The Lamb wanted merely to show itself off a little, but the dogs which saw the foolish animal thought that a wolf had broken in from the forest. In they leaped, rushed at it, knocked it off its feet, and tore it almost to pieces before it could collect its scattered wits. Luckily the shepherds recognized it and rescued it.
But it is no joke to be even for a time exposed to the teeth of dogs. After such a fright as this the poor creature could scarcely drag itself to the sheep-fold, and after it had got there its strength began to desert it, so that before long it became a perfect wreck, moaning away without cessation for the rest of its life.
But if the Lamb had been wise, it would have been afraid of becoming, even in fancy, like unto a wolf.
16—2
