Learn English with Fables

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing 🐺🐑

Aprende inglés mediante una fábula clásica. Practica el pasado simple, conectores narrativos, vocabulario y comprensión lectora.

Nivel recomendado A2–B1

Tema Fábulas y engaño

Habilidades Reading, grammar y vocabulary

📖 The Story

Once, there was a wolf who was very hungry because the shepherds watched their sheep carefully.

One day, the wolf found an old sheepskin. He put on the sheepskin and hid among the sheep.

Soon, a young lamb started to follow the disguised wolf. The wolf led the lamb away from the flock and ate it.

Later, when the wolf returned to the sheep, a shepherd came to choose an animal for his dinner.

The shepherd took his knife and, thinking that the wolf was a sheep, killed him.

Moral:
A person who deceives others may eventually be harmed by their own deception.

La persona que engaña a otros puede terminar perjudicada por su propio engaño.

🇪🇸 Traducción al español

Había una vez un lobo que tenía mucha hambre porque los pastores vigilaban cuidadosamente a sus ovejas.

Un día, el lobo encontró una vieja piel de oveja. Se puso la piel y se escondió entre las ovejas.

Poco después, un cordero joven comenzó a seguir al lobo disfrazado. El lobo alejó al cordero del rebaño y se lo comió.

Más tarde, cuando el lobo regresó con las ovejas, un pastor fue a escoger un animal para su cena.

El pastor tomó su cuchillo y, pensando que el lobo era una oveja, lo mató.

🧠 Grammar Focus

1. Past simple

La historia está narrada principalmente en past simple, porque describe acciones terminadas en el pasado.

Subject + verb in the past

The wolf found a sheepskin.
The wolf hid among the sheep.
The shepherd killed the wolf.

Algunos verbos son regulares y terminan en -ed. Otros son irregulares y cambian completamente.

watch → watched
return → returned
start → started

find → found
hide → hid
eat → ate
take → took
lead → led

2. Past simple negative

Para formar una oración negativa en pasado usamos did not o su contracción didn’t.

Subject + did not + base verb

The shepherd did not recognise the wolf.
El pastor no reconoció al lobo.

Después de did not, el verbo vuelve a su forma base.

Correct: He didn’t see the wolf.
Incorrect: He didn’t saw the wolf.

3. Past simple questions

Para hacer preguntas en pasado utilizamos did.

Did + subject + base verb?

Did the wolf find a sheepskin?
Yes, he did.

Did the shepherd recognise the wolf?
No, he didn’t.

4. Because

Because significa porque. Se utiliza para explicar la razón de una situación.

The wolf was hungry because the shepherds protected the sheep.
El lobo tenía hambre porque los pastores protegían a las ovejas.

5. When

When significa cuando. Se utiliza para conectar dos acciones o indicar el momento en que algo ocurrió.

When the wolf returned, the shepherd came.
Cuando el lobo regresó, llegó el pastor.

6. While and thinking

La forma terminada en -ing puede mostrar una acción que ocurre al mismo tiempo que otra.

The shepherd killed the wolf, thinking that it was a sheep.
El pastor mató al lobo pensando que era una oveja.

También podríamos decir:

While he was thinking that it was a sheep, the shepherd took his knife.

7. Relative clauses with who

Who se utiliza para añadir información sobre una persona o un animal personificado.

There was a wolf who was very hungry.
Había un lobo que tenía mucha hambre.

8. Phrasal verb: put on

Put on significa ponerse una prenda o algo sobre el cuerpo.

The wolf put on the sheepskin.
El lobo se puso la piel de oveja.

No debe confundirse con wear:

Put on = acción de ponerse algo.
Wear = llevar o tener algo puesto.

The wolf put on the sheepskin.
The wolf was wearing the sheepskin.

9. Start + infinitive / gerund

Después de start podemos utilizar un infinitivo o un verbo terminado en -ing.

The lamb started to follow the wolf.
The lamb started following the wolf.

En este contexto, ambas formas tienen prácticamente el mismo significado.

10. Lead someone away

Lead someone away significa guiar o llevar a alguien lejos de un lugar.

The wolf led the lamb away from the flock.
El lobo alejó al cordero del rebaño.

📚 Key Vocabulary

English	Español	Example
wolf	lobo	The wolf was very hungry.
sheep	oveja / ovejas	The shepherd protected the sheep.
lamb	cordero	The lamb followed the wolf.
shepherd	pastor	The shepherd watched the flock.
sheepskin	piel de oveja	The wolf found an old sheepskin.
flock	rebaño	The sheep stayed together in the flock.
disguised	disfrazado	The disguised wolf looked like a sheep.
to hide	esconderse	The wolf hid among the sheep.
to deceive	engañar	The wolf tried to deceive the shepherd.
deceit	engaño	His deceit caused his own downfall.
harm	daño	Dishonest actions can cause harm.
carefully	cuidadosamente	The shepherd watched the sheep carefully.

💬 Useful Expressions

A wolf in sheep’s clothing

Esta expresión describe a una persona que parece amable o inofensiva, pero en realidad tiene malas intenciones.

Be careful. He may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Ten cuidado. Puede ser un lobo con piel de oveja.

To hide among

Significa esconderse dentro de un grupo.

The wolf hid among the sheep.
El lobo se escondió entre las ovejas.

To come to harm

Significa sufrir daño o terminar en una situación negativa.

A dishonest person may eventually come to harm.
Una persona deshonesta puede terminar sufriendo daño.

Through one’s own actions

Significa como resultado de las propias acciones.

The wolf was defeated through his own deceit.
El lobo fue derrotado por causa de su propio engaño.

🔎 Reading Comprehension

1. Why was the wolf hungry?
2. What did the wolf find?
3. Where did the wolf hide?
4. Who followed the disguised wolf?
5. Why did the shepherd kill the wolf?
6. What lesson does the story teach?

Ver las respuestas

1. He was hungry because the shepherds watched the sheep carefully.
2. He found an old sheepskin.
3. He hid among the sheep.
4. A young lamb followed him.
5. He thought the wolf was a sheep.
6. The story teaches that deception can harm the person who deceives others.

✏️ Grammar Practice

Completa las oraciones con la forma correcta del verbo entre paréntesis.

1. The wolf an old sheepskin. (find)
2. He among the sheep. (hide)
3. The lamb started the wolf. (follow)
4. The wolf the lamb away. (lead)
5. The shepherd the wolf. (not recognise)
6. Why the shepherd kill the wolf? (do)

Ver las respuestas

1. found
2. hid
3. to follow / following
4. led
5. did not recognise / didn’t recognise
6. did

🧩 Choose the Correct Option

1. The wolf was hungry because / but the shepherds protected the sheep.
2. The wolf put on / took off the sheepskin.
3. The wolf hid among / under the sheep.
4. The shepherd thought / thinks that the wolf was a sheep.
5. The story teaches us not to deceive / protect other people.

Ver las respuestas

1. because
2. put on
3. among
4. thought
5. deceive

🗣️ Speaking and Writing Practice

Responde estas preguntas en inglés:

1. Do you think the wolf was intelligent? Why?
2. Why did the wolf’s plan fail?
3. What does “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” mean?
4. Can appearances be misleading?
5. What would you do if you discovered someone was deceiving you?

Example:

I think the wolf was clever, but his plan was dishonest. In the end, his disguise caused his death. The story teaches us that deception can have serious consequences.

📝 Write Your Own Summary

Completa el resumen con tus propias palabras:

Once, there was a wolf who _______________________________.

One day, he found _______________________________________.

He disguised himself as _________________________________.

In the end, the shepherd ________________________________.

The moral of the story is _______________________________.

Final thought:

Appearances can be deceptive, but dishonest actions often reveal the truth in the end. 🐺🐑