The Wolf and the Babe
Story Summary
In the short story "The Wolf and the Babe," a famishing wolf eavesdrops on a mother threatening to toss her child out the window to silence him, hoping for a chance to feast. However, as the day passes, it is the father who returns home and discards both the mother and child instead. This engaging moral tale highlights the unexpected twists of fate and the simple lessons from stories about the consequences of neglect and cruelty.
A famished wolf was passing by the door of a cottage in the forest when he overheard a mother speaking to her baby. "Be quiet, or I will throw you out of the window, and the wolves will get you," she warned. Intrigued and growing hungrier by the minute, the wolf decided to wait below the window all day, hoping for an opportunity.
As night fell, the old man returned home from the village club, and to the wolf’s surprise, he threw both the mother and child out of the window. The wolf, seizing the moment, eagerly prepared to pounce on his unexpected feast.
Click to reveal the moral of the story
The moral of the story is that threats made in anger can have unintended consequences, leading to harm for both the speaker and the subject of their ire.
Historical Context
The story of "The Famishing Wolf" draws on traditional European folklore, where wolves often symbolize cunning and danger, reflecting societal fears about nature and the unknown. This tale echoes themes found in various fables and fairy tales, such as those collected by the Brothers Grimm, where the conflict between humans and predatory animals serves as a moral lesson on caution and the consequences of neglect. The vivid imagery and stark outcomes also resonate with the darker tones prevalent in many folk stories, which were used to convey warnings to children about the perils of the world around them.
Our Editors Opinion
This story highlights the dangers of using fear as a means of control, as well as the unpredictable consequences of our actions. In modern life, this can be seen in a scenario where a parent threatens a child with abandonment or danger to enforce obedience, only to face the repercussions of strained relationships and emotional trauma when their threats become reality.
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Other names for this story
Wolf's Hunger, The Cottage Confrontation, Mother, Wolf, and Child, A Hungry Wolf's Wait, The Wolf's Lurking Shadow, When Wolves Come Knocking, The Window of Danger, The Wolf's Deceptive Feast
Did You Know?
This story highlights the theme of desperation and betrayal, illustrating how the wolf, often seen as the villain, merely capitalizes on the tragic circumstances created by the mother’s threat, ultimately revealing the darker aspects of human nature alongside the predatory instincts of the wolf.
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