Perry 153: Treaty of Wolves and Sheep

Today's fable is Perry 153, the story of the sheep who made a peace treaty with the wolves... big mistake, of course! As soon as they give up the protection of the sheep dogs, those sheep are in big trouble. At del.icio.us, you can see a complete list of the versions of this fable type that I have collected.

Here is the version from Steinhowel's Aesop. What I especially like about this version of the story is how the wolves turn their cubs as hostages over to the sheep - and it is the howling of the cubs which provides a pretense (pretense only, of course!) for the wolves to attack their supposed allies, the sheep:

Defensorem et patronum non expedit relinquere. De hoc auctor talem fabulam dixit. Oves et lupi bellum inter se gerebant, ita ut nulla pars alii cederet. Illae plures fuerunt et cum eis canes et arietes, et visum est signum victoriae esse ovium. Tunc lupi, legatos mittentes, petunt concordiam et pacem iurando si canes obsides darent et econtra oves eorum catulos ab eis reciperent. Ita fecerunt et iurandi fidem dederunt illis. Ovibus in pace positis, lupini catuli ululaverunt. Illi, natos vexare putantes, veniunt undique simul et dicunt pacem ab illis ruptam, et coeperunt laniare oves, nullo tutore praestante auxilium ac nullo patrono defendente.

Here it is written out in segmented style to make it easier to follow, while respecting the Latin word order:

Defensorem et patronum
non expedit relinquere.
De hoc
auctor
talem fabulam dixit.
Oves et lupi
bellum inter se gerebant,
ita ut
nulla pars
alii cederet.
Illae
plures fuerunt
et cum eis
canes et arietes,
et visum est
signum victoriae
esse ovium.
Tunc lupi,
legatos mittentes,
petunt concordiam et pacem
iurando
si canes obsides darent
et econtra
oves
eorum catulos ab eis reciperent.
Ita fecerunt
et iurandi fidem dederunt illis.
Ovibus in pace positis,
lupini catuli ululaverunt.
Illi,
natos vexare
putantes,
veniunt undique simul
et dicunt
pacem ab illis ruptam,
et coeperunt laniare oves,
nullo tutore praestante auxilium
ac nullo patrono defendente.

For an image of the story, here is an illustration by the Renaissance engraver, Bernard Salomon; if you look you can see how the ram is trying to defend the flock, but the dogs are far away and not able to lend any help:

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