Aesop's Phrases

The Wolf in Sheep's clothing.
The Wolf in a Lamb's skin.

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. 49 by Townsend

ONCE UPON A TIME a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily. Encased in the skin of a sheep, he pastured with the flock deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure. But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught up the Wolf instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly.
Harm seek. Harm find.

Nikephoros Basilakis = Pe451, Type123B


THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. by Ernest Griset.

A WOLF, wrapping himself in the skin of a Sheep, by that means got admission into a sheepfold, where he devoured several of the young Lambs. The Shepherd, however, soon found him out and hung him up to a tree, still in his assumed disguise. Some other Shepherds passing that way, thought it was a Sheep hanging, and cried to their friend, "What, brother! is that the way you serve Sheep in this part of the country?" "No, friends," cried he, giving at the same time the carcase a swing round, so that they might see what it was; "but it is the way to serve Wolves, even though they be dressed in Sheep's clothing."

Francis Barlow 11, Type123B


The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. 39. by Jacobs

A Wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep. The Lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the Wolf was wearing, began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing; so, leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her, and for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals.
Appearances are deceptive.

Odo of Cheriton 51, TMI K828.1, Type123B
Matthew 7.15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

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