babe in the woods
A person who is gullible, naïve, or lacks experience in a specific situation. Although Jane had always excelled in school, she felt like a babe in the woods when she began attending college.
babes in the wood
inexperienced people in a situation calling for experience. The babes in the wood are characters in an old ballad The Children in the Wood, which dates from the 16th century. The two children are abandoned in the wood by their wicked uncle who wishes to steal their inheritance. The children die of starvation and robins cover their bodies with leaves; the uncle and his accomplice are subsequently brought to justice.