The story of the wolf and the seven little goats teaches children important life lessons through the experiences of the seven goat kids who outsmart the villainous wolf. This classic fable highlights themes of cleverness triumphing over might, the importance of listening to one’s elders, and using your wits to outmaneuver danger.
Summary of the Wolf and Seven Little Goats
The story begins with a mother goat who has seven little kids. She needs to go into the forest to find food, but before leaving, she warns her children not to open the door for anyone except her. She tells them she will announce herself by saying “It is I, your mother” so they know it is really her. The mother goat then goes into the forest.
Later, a wicked wolf comes to the house and pretends to be the mother goat, telling the kids to open the door. But the young goats see through his ruse when he cannot mimic their mother’s voice correctly. The wolf goes away hungry.
However, the wolf is determined and comes back with a plan. He eats chalk to make his voice soft and smooth. This time when he tells the goats to open the door, he is able to imitate their mother’s voice. The foolish young goats are tricked and they open the door. The wolf dashes inside and devours six of the seven goats. The youngest goat is able to hide from the wolf in the grandfather clock.
When the mother goat returns and finds out what happened, sheDetermines to save her last remaining kid. She discovers the wolf sleeping under a tree in the meadow. She carefully cuts open his belly with scissors and frees her youngest goat kid who was still alive inside the wolf’s stomach. Then she fills the wolf’s belly with rocks and sews it back up again. When the wolf awakes and tries to quench his thirst at the stream, the weight of the rocks causes him to fall in and drown.
The mother goat then embraces her youngest kid, happy to have saved him from the villainous wolf through her quick thinking and determination.
Analysis of Key Characters
The Mother Goat
The mother goat represents wisdom, foresight, and maternal protectiveness. Before leaving her kids, she gives them clear instructions not to open the door for anyone except her. She tries to equip them with the knowledge to outwit the wolf. When the wolf tricks the young goats, the mother does not give up hope. She thinks fast and comes up with a clever plan to rescue her last kid. Her quick thinking and refusal to accept defeat allows her to triumph.
The Seven Little Goats
The seven goat kids represent innocence, naivete and youth. At first, they heed their mother’s warning and do not fall for the wolf’s tricks. But later, when the wolf disguises his voice, their innocence makes them easily fooled. They serve as a lesson that children are vulnerable and must exercise caution when dealing with strangers and dangerous situations.
The Wolf
The wolf represents evil, dangerous strangers, and cunning villains. He is motivated by his craving for food and his malicious personality. When the goat kids outwit him the first time, he returns more determined and crafty. The wolf will use any means necessary, including disguising his voice, to get what he wants. His fate serves as a warning about the consequences of unbridled gluttony and wickedness.
Major Themes and Morals
Using Your Wits
One major moral of the story is that it is important to use your intelligence and outsmart villains who may try to harm you. At first, the seven kids see through the wolf’s disguise, showing cleverness and obedience to their mother’s instructions. The mother goat also thinks fast to devise a cunning plan to rescue her last remaining kid and do away with the wolf for good.
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
Another key moral is that appearances can be deceiving. The wolf is able to fool the young goats by disguising his voice, even though his physical appearance remains the same. This teaches children to look deeper than surface appearances when dealing with strangers. Many villains are masters of disguise and can hide their true motives.
Listen to Your Elders
The mother goat equips her kids with the knowledge to outwit the wolf, showing the wisdom of listening to one’s elders. At first, the kids heed their mother’s advice and do not fall for the wolf’s scheme. But later, when they ignore her warnings, it leads to dire consequences. The story promotes filial piety and respect for parental wisdom.
Using Your Resources
Although the mother goat loses six of her seven kids, she remains resilient and uses every resource she has to rescue her last remaining child. She does not wallow in despair but acts decisively to outsmart the sleeping wolf. Her focus and determination to use what skills and tools she has exemplifies resourcefulness and quick-thinking.
Evil Often Destroys Itself
The wicked wolf’s unquenchable appetite and evil deeds ultimately lead to his demise. If he had shown self-restraint and compassion, he would have survived. But his gluttony and maliciousness literally weigh him down. The story teaches that villainous traits often precipitate one’s own downfall.
Stay Calm in Danger
Despite the horrific loss of six of her kids, the mother goat does not panic. She thinks clearly and comes up with an effective plan. Her level-headedness allows her to rescue her remaining kid. The tale promotes courage and calm determination even in the face of peril.
Symbolism in the Story
Beyond the literal events of the fable, the wolf and seven little goats contain several important symbols:
The Home
The home represents safety, family unity, and a refuge from danger. The mother goat leaves her house in search of food but intends to return. The wolf breaches the sanctity and security of the familial dwelling space.
The Forest
The forest symbolizes the unknown, wilderness, and potential danger. The mother goat ventures into the forest to find sustenance but threats lurk amongst the trees. It is a risky place associated with the wolf’s cunning schemes.
The Clock
The clock represents quick thinking and resourcefulness. The littlest goat kids ability to hide inside the grandfather clock and avoid being eaten demonstrates his intelligence and instinct for survival.
The Scissors
The scissors represent the mother goat’s maternal instincts to protect her child and her boldness in facing the dangerous wolf. She turns an ordinary household object into a weapon against evil.
The Stones
The stones represent the wolf’s greed and evil deeds. Just as his misdeeds weigh him down physically, the wolf is burdened by his wickedness. The stones are his literal and metaphorical downfall.
Key Quotes
Here are some important quotes from the fable:
- “It is I, your mother, my children. I have brought something back for each and every one of you.” – The mother goat announcing herself to her kids, showing the importance of clear communication and identification to avoid deception.
- “Children, I have a soft voice today so please open the door.” – The wolf disguising his voice, exemplifying how appearances conceal evil motives.
- “Oh! It is my dear little kid, my precious little one! He is still alive!” – The mother goat rejoicing after rescuing her youngest child, conveying the depth of maternal love.
- “You won’t escape from me this time, no matter how old you are!” – The wolf’s vow to outwit the kids, showing his malicious persistence.
Context and Origins
The story of the wolf and seven young goats has been traced back to the Greek poet Theocritus who lived circa 300 BCE. The poem tells of a goat who leaves her kids at home while she grazes. A wolf impersonates the mother and eats the kids, but one manages to escape by hiding in a chest. The earliest known written version of the fable appears in the 1st century BCE Latin Appendix Vergiliana.1
Throughout the centuries, the tale emerged in the folklore traditions of many European countries. France, Italy, England, and Germany have their own versions of the story passed down orally before appearing in print in compilations like Aesop’s Fables. The most famous modern written account comes from the Brothers Grimm who included it in their 1812 collection of fairy tales.
The fable continues to be adapted and retold in numerous children’s books, cartoons, films, and other media. Well-known adaptations include Walt Disney’s 1933 animated short, “The Big Bad Wolf,” episodes of the series “Hoodwinked” and “Sesame Street,” and picture books like The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivias.
Relevance Today
Although an ancient fable, the wolf and seven little goats continues to impart important moral lessons that remain applicable to modern audiences. In a contemporary context, the story teaches:
Stranger Danger
Children must exercise caution around strangers who may have ulterior motives. The wolf poses as a trusted family member to fulfill his malicious goals. His cunning deception provides a metaphor for modern “stranger danger” threats.
Online Safety
In the digital age, the goat kids could represent naïve internet users while the wolf symbolizes online predators disguising themselves using fake profiles. The tale underscores using discretion sharing personal information.
Discernment of Fake News
The wolf’s vocal deception also parallels the modern spread of disinformation, propaganda, and “fake news” on the internet. The fable promotes skepticism rather than gullibility of sensational claims from dubious sources.
Persistence Against Injustice
Although the mother goat suffers a terrible loss, she persists in defeating the villain. The story inspires perseverance against life’s challenges and fighting injustice even when obstacles loom large.
Overconfidence
The wolf’s belief that he has triumphed leads to carelessness and his eventual downfall. He underestimates the resilience of his victims. The tale warns against arrogance or assuming success too quickly.
Conclusion
The fable of the wolf and seven little goats represents a classic story of good triumphing over evil. Through cleverness and determination, the mother goat is able to rescue her last surviving child and rid the world of a dangerous predator. Beyond its entertainment value, the story imparts important lessons about courage, quick-thinking, discernment and perseverance that continue to resonate with audiences old and young alike to this day. The themes and morals of the tale remain highly relevant in the modern world.
