Foreword:
This fable represents deceit of evil-doers, and is numbered 451 in the Perry Index (as 451. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing). However, this fable is loosely attributed to Aesop, because of the idiom's Biblical origin ("Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" - Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount).
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A wolf had his eyes on a flock of sheep.
The flock of sheep was regularly led by a shepherd to graze in a pasture near the forest, where the wolf lived.
And, due to the watchful vigil of the shepherd and his dog, the wolf was unable to get close, let alone, catch and devour them.
The wolf, on the other hand, could not let go of the temptation of juicy meat, that regularly comes so close within his reach. And yet, he had to satiate his hunger with smaller animals he chanced upon.
And so, the wolf kept a watch over the flock of sheep, and their whereabouts, awaiting an opportunity to strike.
As he grew hungrier, he got frustrated over his helplessness.
He made multiple attempts to stealthily approach the flock of sheep.
But, whenever he came close to the flock, the sheep would start shouting and running in excitement, because they could not identify him as one of themselves.
This would alert the shepherd and his dog, who would come to rescue them from danger with stones and sticks, to chase and beat the wolf away.
The wolf realized that his appearance was an easy give-away.
Nevertheless, with no inclination to give up, he continued his lookout for an opportune moment.
During this time, he chanced upon an empty skin of a sheep, which was flayed, cast aside and forgotten by nearby villagers.
With this, he devised a plan.
He put the sheep's skin over himself, and disguised as a sheep, strolled amongst the unsuspecting sheep.
He pretended to graze along with the flock, and for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and the shepherd.
And soon, a little lamb, decieved by his disguise, began following him about.
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The disguised wolf befriended the little lamb, and started leading him away from the flock, out of the pasture, and into the forest.
"At long last!", thought the wolf to himself, "With my plan's success, I may similarly devour one of them everyday."
Unknown to him, the vigilant shepherd, observing two sheep deviate from the flock and towards the forest, followed them. As the shepherd neared them, he realized what the disguised wolf was leading to.
He caught up with them, beat the wolf without mercy, and drove it away to rescue the lamb.
Having taken such beating, the wolf never came near the flock of sheep again.
Moral:
Seek to harm, and harm shall find you.
Or,
The evil doer often comes to harm through his own deceit.
Summary:
A wolf came across a flock of sheep, and thought of eating his heart's fill. As he came close to them, the sheep recognized their danger, and started shouting. All the noise alerted the shepherd, who came running, and drove the wolf away. Refusing to lose so easily, the wolf disguised himself like a sheep. He came close, mingled with the unsuspecting sheep, and persuaded a little lamb to come along with him. The shepherd, observing that one of his lambs is walking away from the flock, understood what was happening. At once, he got into action and drove the wolf away.
