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.
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.
You May Also Like
The Tyrant Frog
In "The Tyrant Frog," a clever fable with a moral, a snake being swallowed by a frog pleads for help from a passing naturalist, who misinterprets the situation as a simple dining scenario. The naturalist, more focused on acquiring a snakeskin for his collection, highlights the importance of understanding context before jumping to conclusions. This easy small story serves as a valuable lesson in awareness and perspective, making it a fitting addition to short story collections with moral themes for personal growth.
The Man and his Goose
In this captivating moral story, a man who owned a goose that laid golden eggs became consumed by greed, believing the goose contained a hidden treasure inside. In his haste for wealth, he killed the goose, only to discover she was an ordinary bird and the eggs were no different from regular ones. This entertaining moral tale serves as a valuable lesson for personal growth, illustrating the consequences of impatience and greed in childhood stories with moral lessons.
The Mother and the Wolf
In this moral-based storytelling tale, a famished wolf waits outside a cottage after hearing a mother threaten to throw her child to him, only to later hear her reassuring the child that they would kill the wolf if he approached. Disappointed and empty-handed, the wolf returns home to explain to Mistress Wolf that he was misled by the woman's words, highlighting the importance of discerning truth in meaningful stories with moral lessons. This best moral story serves as a cautionary reminder for class 7 students about the dangers of taking words at face value.
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.
Subscribe to Daily Stories
Get a new moral story in your inbox every day.