In villa rustica agricola nomine Publius cum suis ovibus habitat. Oves eius pulchrae sunt: aliae albae, aliae nigrae, omnes bene pascuntur. Publius eas cotidie in campum ducit, ubi herba viridis abundat. Canis fidelis, nomine Fidus, semper cum Publio et ovibus manet. Nocte oves in ovili clausae sunt, ubi tutiores esse possunt.
Una vespera, post longum diem laboris, Publius in casa sua cenam edit. “Hodie oves meae bene pascuntur,” inquit. “Herba in campo optima est. Gratias tibi ago, Fide, quod eas custodivisti.” Canis caudam movet et ad ianuam domus se collocat.
Post cenam Publius in lecto suo iacet et cito dormit. Fidus, prope ianuam dormiens, vigilat. Subito lupus famelicus ex silva venit. Oculos rubros habet et dentes acutos ostendit. Lupus oves Publio tollere vult, sed lente movetur ut clamorem vitet. Prope ovile ambulat et dentes stridet.
Fidus odorem capit et auribus suis acutis strepitum audit. Statim surgit et alte latrat: “Bau bau! Lupus adest! Oves periculo sunt!” Publius subito ex somno excitatur. “Quis latrat?” inquit. “Estne Fidus? Estne periculum?” Statim flammam ex foco accipit et extra casam currit.
Fidus latrat et ad ovile spectat. Publius videt lupum prope ianuam ovilis stantem. Lupus dentes ostendit et oves terrere conatur. “Discede, lupe sceleste!” clamat Publius, flammam in aere movens. Lupus paulum recedit, sed oves iterum spectat et unum pedem prope ianuam ponit.
Publius tamen timorem non habet. Falcem suam tollit et flammam propius ad lupum movet. “Non meas oves capies! Ab hoc loco statim discede!” clamat. Lupus ululat et in terram se deicit, sed tandem in silvam fugit.
Postquam lupus discessit, Publius in ovile intrat. “Oves meae, vosne incolumes estis?” inquit. Oves non clamant, sed in angulo stant et quietae sunt. Publius ridet et dicit: “Nihil mali accidit. Gratias tibi ago, Fide. Tu es bonus custos.” Fidus caudam movet et latrat quasi gaudeat.
Mane Publius oves in campum ducit. Herba viridis est et caelum serenum. Fidus circum oves currit et eas custodit. Sub arbore Publius sedet et campum spectat. “Semper meas oves custodiam,” inquit, “et Fidum mecum habebo.”
Hoc modo Publius et Fidus oves suas custodiunt, et lupus numquam ad villam redit.
In a countryside villa, a farmer named Publius lives with his sheep. His sheep are beautiful: some are white, others are black, and all are well-fed. Publius takes them daily to the field, where green grass is plentiful. A faithful dog, named Fidus, always stays with Publius and the sheep. At night, the sheep are kept in the sheepfold, where they are safer.
One evening, after a long day of work, Publius eats dinner in his house. “Today my sheep grazed well,” he says. “The grass in the field is excellent. Thank you, Fidus, for guarding them.” The dog wags his tail and positions himself by the door of the house.
After dinner, Publius lies on his bed and quickly falls asleep. Fidus, sleeping near the door, keeps watch. Suddenly, a hungry wolf comes out of the forest. Its eyes are red, and it bares sharp teeth. The wolf wants to take Publius’s sheep but moves slowly to avoid making noise. It walks near the sheepfold and gnashes its teeth.
Fidus picks up the scent and hears the noise with his sharp ears. He immediately rises and barks loudly: “Woof, woof! A wolf is here! The sheep are in danger!” Publius wakes up suddenly from sleep. “Who is barking?” he asks. “Is it Fidus? Is there danger?” He immediately grabs a torch from the hearth and runs outside.
Fidus barks and looks toward the sheepfold. Publius sees the wolf standing near the door of the fold. The wolf bares its teeth and tries to frighten the sheep. “Get away, wicked wolf!” shouts Publius, waving the torch in the air. The wolf retreats a little but looks at the sheep again and places one paw near the door.
However, Publius is not afraid. He grabs his sickle and moves the torch closer to the wolf. “You will not take my sheep! Leave this place immediately!” he shouts. The wolf howls and throws itself to the ground but finally flees into the forest.
After the wolf leaves, Publius enters the sheepfold. “My sheep, are you unharmed?” he asks. The sheep do not bleat but stand quietly in a corner. Publius smiles and says, “Nothing bad has happened. Thank you, Fidus. You are a good guardian.” Fidus wags his tail and barks as if he is pleased.
In the morning, Publius takes the sheep to the field. The grass is green, and the sky is clear. Fidus runs around the sheep and guards them. Publius sits under a tree and watches the field. “I will always guard my sheep,” he says, “and I will always have Fidus with me.”
In this way, Publius and Fidus protect their sheep, and the wolf never returns to the villa.