Aesop | Greece
The Stag, The Wolf, and The Sheep
Hungry stag seeks wheat from cautious sheep, promising to return it with a sly wolf as guarantee, but wise sheep decline, aware of their mischievous nature.
Once upon a time in a peaceful forest, there lived a sleek stag, a sly wolf, and a cautious sheep. The three were quite different and had their own ways of life.
One day, the stag wandered to the sheep's pasture. He was hungry and his usual meal of forest leaves and berries were scarce. He turned to the sheep and asked if he could borrow a measure of wheat. The stag made his case, explaining his hunger and promising to return the borrowed wheat. As assurance, he presented the wolf as his guarantee.
The sheep was worried. She knew that the wolf was often naughty, taking things without asking and running away. She also knew the stag was very fast. She could never catch up if he decided to run away.
She asked the stag, "You run really fast, and the wolf is very sneaky. If you run away or if the wolf doesn't keep his promise, how will I find you when it's time to give back the wheat?"
And so, the sheep showed that she was smart and careful. She knew it might not be a good idea to lend the wheat, because of how the stag and the wolf usually acted.
