It also appears in the title of Roald Dahl's short story Lamb to the Slaughter, where it means ignorance and innocence. In general, the term refers to a person who is in a dangerous or life-threatening situation without concern or innocence. In the lamb slaughter story, however, this has several meanings. Its literal meaning refers to the time when humans sacrificed animals for meat. It conveys the idea that a lamb is innocent and does not ask questions. Mary Maloney, a housewife who has made it her mission to provide a sweet home for her husband and who is pregnant with her first child, is waiting for her husband Patrick to return from his local police job. Mary hits Patrick on the back of the head and the frozen leg of lamb kills him immediately. So, Maria is a victim of history as she lost his husband.
