Early every morning, a shepherd took his flock to graze. He would watch as the sheep lazily munched on grass, then round them up and return home. Sometimes, he would doze off while watching them.
One day, the shepherd spotted a wolf eyeing his sheep from a distance. Initially, he remained on guard, watching the wolf's every move. However, the wolf made no attempt to approach. When the shepherd herded the sheep home, the wolf followed at a distance.
This pattern continued. Each morning, the wolf appeared at the field's edge but never attacked. Gradually, the shepherd lowered his guard. He even began to look forward to the wolf's presence. From afar, the wolf sitting on a rock resembled a large sheepdog. The shepherd started to see it as a guardian that would scare away other threats.
One day, the shepherd was called home urgently. Entirely entrusting his flock to the wolf, he left. Upon his return, he witnessed the slaughter. Most of his sheep were gone, with only carcasses and a few survivors remaining.
In shock, the shepherd sat down. "Serves me right," he moaned. "After all, I entrusted my flock to a wolf."