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Aesop's Fables, translated by Laura Gibbs (2002)

32. THE WOLVES, THE SHEEP AND THE DOGS
Perry 153 (Ademar 43)

The sheep and the wolves were at war with one another but the sheep could not be defeated because the dogs' protection kept them safe. The wolves sent ambassadors to the sheep, pretending to offer an end to the hostilities if the sheep would let the wolves serve as their guardians. Hoping that this would establish an accord once and for all, the sheep agreed to all the wolves' demands. Afterwards, the wolves broke the treaty and were able to devour the sheep now that they no longer had anyone to protect them. The sheep recognized their error too late and regretted the decision they had made.
If you depend on someone else for help, you will be in trouble when that help is nowhere to be found.

Source: Aesop's Fables. A new translation by Laura Gibbs. Oxford University Press (World's Classics): Oxford, 2002.
NOTE: New cover, with new ISBN, published in 2008; contents of book unchanged.