The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
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The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is one of the fables of Aesop.

Fable

According to the fable, a hungry wolf came upon a sheep's fleece lying on the ground in a field. The wolf realized that if it wore the fleece, it would look like a sheep from a distance. That would enable the wolf to sneak up on a flock of sheep and steal a lamb for its supper, before the shepherd noticed his presence.

The wolf put on the fleece, and went off in search of a flock of sheep. It spied a flock of sheep just as the sun was setting, and approached the flock. Just as it was about to pounce on a lamb, a shepherd came by, looking for a sheep to slaughter for supper. Thinking the disguised wolf was a sheep, the shepherd quickly grabbed and killed the wolf.

An alternate version is, another wolf is sneaking around looking for a sheep for dinner, and pounces on the wolf in sheep's clothing, killing it and eating it for supper instead of a real sheep.

The intended lesson was, "Frauds and liars are always discovered, eventually, and pay for their actions accordingly."

Usage

In English, "a wolf in sheep's clothing" has become a common metaphor for any hidden danger, or for any enemy putting on a false display of friendship. As a result, the phrase "a sheep in wolf's clothing" has also become used, ironically, for something or someone harmless who blusters or tries to appear menacing.

Winston Churchill once described a political opponent (either Clement Atlee or Ramsay MacDonald depending upon sources) as a sheep in sheep's clothing. [1]

The image of a wolf in sheep's clothing is common in many cultures, such as it being echoed in Matthew 7:15, which states, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (KJV)[2].

The punk band NOFX released an album entitled Wolves in Wolves' Clothing in 2006.

The phrase was also the inspiration behind the Airwolf series from the 1980s.

References

^ Unsourced quotes attributed to Winston Churchill 
1. ^ "They Eat Sheep, Don't They?" in Word Journey, May 13, 2008.
   
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