A Wolf, which had begun to accustom its Cub to support itself by its
father's profession, sent it one day to prowl about the skirts of the
wood. At the same time it ordered it to give all its attention to
seeing whether it would not be possible, even at the cost of sinning a
little, for them both to make their breakfast or dinner at the expense
of some shepherd or other. The pupil returns home, and says:
"Come along, quick! Our dinner awaits us: nothing could possibly be
safer. There are sheep feeding at the foot of yon hill, each one
fatter than the other. We have only to choose which to carry off and
eat; and the flock is so large that it would be difficult to count it
over again----"
"Wait a minute," says the Wolf. "First of all I must know what sort of
a man the shepherd of this flock is.
"It is said that he is a good one--painstaking and intelligent. But I
went round the flock on all sides, and examined the dogs: they are not
at all fat, and seem to be spiritless and indolent."
"This description," says the old Wolf, "does not greatly attract me to
the flock. For, decidedly, if the shepherd is good, he will not keep
bad dogs about him. One might very soon get into trouble there. But
come with me: I will take you to a flock where we shall be in less
danger of losing our skins. Over that flock it is true that a great
many dogs watch; but the shepherd is himself a fool. And where the
shepherd is a fool there the dogs too are of little worth."