Source: www.gutenberg.org

By Aesop

There was once a little Kid whose growing horns made him think he was a grown-up Billy Goat and able to take care of himself. So one evening when the flock started home from the pasture and his mother called, the Kid paid no heed and kept right on nibbling the tender grass. A little later when he lifted his head, the flock was gone.

He was all alone. The sun was sinking. Long shadows came creeping over the ground. A chilly little wind came creeping with them making scary noises in the grass. The Kid shivered as he thought of the terrible Wolf. Then he started wildly over the field, bleating for his mother. But not half-way, near a clump of trees, there was the Wolf!

The Kid knew there was little hope for him.

“Please, Mr. Wolf,” he said trembling, “I know you are going to eat me. But first please pipe me a tune, for I want to dance and be merry as long as I can.”

The Wolf liked the idea of a little music before eating, so he struck up a merry tune and the Kid leaped and frisked gaily.

Meanwhile, the flock was moving slowly homeward. In the still evening air the Wolf’s piping carried far. The Shepherd Dogs pricked up their ears. They recognized the song the Wolf sings before a feast, and in a moment they were racing back to the pasture. The Wolf’s song ended suddenly, and as he ran, with the Dogs at his heels, he called himself a fool for turning piper to please a Kid, when he should have stuck to his butcher’s trade.

Do not let anything turn you from your purpose.   

Moral of the Story

The moral of the story is that it’s important to listen to those who know better than us, especially our parents or guardians. The little Kid in the story thought he was capable of taking care of himself because his horns were growing, but he was still just a child. When his mother called for him to come home with the flock, he ignored her and stayed behind, believing he knew best.

However, being alone made him vulnerable, and he found himself in a scary situation with the Wolf. Despite his fear, he tried to distract the Wolf with music and dancing, hoping to delay his inevitable fate.

Meanwhile, the flock, guided by the wisdom of the Shepherd Dogs, was on its way home. The Dogs recognized the danger signaled by the Wolf’s music and rushed to protect their friends.

The Wolf’s decision to entertain the Kid instead of focusing on his task led to his downfall, showing that it’s important to stay focused on what’s truly important and not get distracted by pleasing others or straying from our responsibilities. So, the moral is to listen to those who care for us, stay focused on our tasks, and not let pride or distractions lead us astray.

Short stories for kids PDF