The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (2025)

'a wolf in sheep's clothing' is something that I've heard multiple times through my life, as many other English speakers, and I do not doubt that equivalencies to this term exist in other languages given what the phrase means (I recall 'face of a Buddha, heart of a scorpion' from a Chinese movie)

However, it was interesting to actually read the fable where it comes from. At first, the disguise for the wolf works well as he's able to use a discarded sheepskin to infiltrate the flock so he can feed himself.

However, the tale ends with the shepherd deciding to slaughter one of the sheep for mutton, and it so happens that the wolf is the first one he lays his hands on (and thus kills)

I've seen several instances of this trope in books and movies where someone disguises themselves for nefarious purposes, only to be caught and it doesn't turn out well for them. So the moral is, if you're going to do bad things, don't be surprised when consequences fall upon you.

I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a simple haiku:

"Dressed in sheep’s clothing,
Safety is an illusion
That’s only skin deep."

The moral of the story is... those who deceive will often find themselves caught in their own trap.

I grew up with Aesop fables, fascinated by how he taught valuable morals through stories.

Title: The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Author: Aesop
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Appearances can be deceptive
Opening line/sentence: Once there was a wolf watching a flock of sheep grazing in the meadow below.
Brief Book Summary: A wolf wants to eat sheep that are well-guarded by a shepherd and his dog. The wolf was determined to feast, and happened upon a sheep skin. He dressed himself in it in attempts to fit in with the sheep and eat them. The wolf’s sheep skin fell off and was pushed away from the meadow by the shepherd and dog.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Teacher Review - Jessica Hoffman: The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is about a wolf who spots a sheep who has died and decides to trick others by wearing the dead sheep's skin as a disguise. In the end the sheep does fool others and has them as a meal. This story is not very uplifting or does not have the usual happy ending that these fables usually acquire. Instead, it ends in a tragedy. This fable teaches kids that looks can be deceiving and to not trust others. This is not a good moral to teach kids even though it might be somewhat true. I do not recommend this story to read just because of the downfall at the end.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Unable to find another good review
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I don’t agree with the review that I found. I don’t think this book is a bad example of morals to be taught. The reviewer suggests that it teaches kids not to trust others and therefore it is not good to teach kids. I feel that it teaches more of self-awareness and being able to understand that sometimes people aren’t who they say they are. This is very important for kids to learn and this story does a great job telling that.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book has a lot of dialogue where the wolf is talking to himself and explaining the things he must do throughout the story. I love this element because it allows the reader to think from the wolf’s perspective and understand why he is doing what he is doing.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think this fable is best used to talk about deception and lying. Students can talk about lying and how it makes them feel and the effects that lying can have on people. The teacher can talk about the metaphor of a wolf in sheep’s clothing and describe what that might look like in real life.