What does "a wolf in sheep's clothing" mean?

It describes someone who hides bad intentions behind a friendly, harmless appearance. The phrase comes from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus warns of false prophets in sheep's clothing, and it was later told as a fable.

What is the moral of The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

Appearances can be deceiving, so judge people by their actions. The fable also shows that someone who disguises himself to do harm is often caught out by his own trick.

Is The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing one of Aesop's Fables?

It is traditionally included in Aesop's Fables, but it is not one of the ancient Greek fables: the story as we know it appears in medieval sources, while the phrase goes back to the Gospel of Matthew.

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Fable · 声匠改编 · 3:47

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

A hungry wolf pulls on a sheepskin and slips into the flock. A curious lamb notices his very pointy teeth. The classic fable about false faces, retold.

Narrator

The Wolf

Daisy the Lamb

Granny Ewe

Ben the Shepherd

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关于这个故事

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is usually printed among Aesop's Fables, but the story in its familiar form comes from medieval sources rather than the ancient Greek collections. The phrase is older still: in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but are ravenous wolves inside. In the old tellings the shepherd picks the disguised wolf for his supper by mistake; in this VoiceSmiths retelling he picks him for shearing, a curious lamb and a sharp-eyed old ewe see through the disguise, and the wolf runs off for good.

故事告诉我们

Appearances can deceive: judge others by what they do, not only by how they look. And tricks often turn back on the trickster, because the wolf's own disguise is what gets him caught.

适合

Ages 4–9

讲给孩子听的小贴士

When Daisy talks to Woolly, ask: is the new sheep really a sheep? What gives him away?
Count the flock together with Ben: forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty... fifty-one?
Talk about how to tell whether someone is really friendly: watch what they do, not just what they say or wear.

常见问题

What does "a wolf in sheep's clothing" mean?: It describes someone who hides bad intentions behind a friendly, harmless appearance. The phrase comes from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus warns of false prophets in sheep's clothing, and it was later told as a fable.
What is the moral of The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?: Appearances can be deceiving, so judge people by their actions. The fable also shows that someone who disguises himself to do harm is often caught out by his own trick.
Is The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing one of Aesop's Fables?: It is traditionally included in Aesop's Fables, but it is not one of the ancient Greek fables: the story as we know it appears in medieval sources, while the phrase goes back to the Gospel of Matthew.