ProverbWisdom
English origin1447
English origin1447When the fox preaches, beware of your geese.
Meaning: Predators exploiting trust through false virtue pose the greatest danger to the vulnerable.
Origin: A fox in a friar's robe preaching to a flock of geese was one of the commonest satirical images of the Middle Ages, aimed at the wandering preaching friars. It appears in church wall paintings and carvings, including a misericord of 1447 at St. Laurence's, Ludlow. When a known predator starts talking piously, its audience should watch out.
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