“Little lamb who made you?” said mother early that morning,
knowing fully well her boy wasn’t listening. “The shepherd!”
“No silly”
“I know. But he’s here.”
Maa sighed. “What am I going to do with him?”
Little lamb wanted to be right in front with the other
billies. He didn’t like being at the end. Although for a time he enjoyed the
ride on the shep’s shoulder, he now wanted to be on his own.
So, when the shepherd came calling, “…Dotty, Webster,
Cuddly, Spots, Bristler, Little Lamb and Maa. That’s a hundred.” he finished as
he picked little lamb and put him on his shoulder.
“What’s the matter li’l fella? Can’t stay up?” Said Shepherd
and put the lamb down. With a hop and a skip, he went right to the front. Till
they reached the meadow, the shepherd walked beside Little lamb.
The shepherd let his staff rest against the lone shady tree,
sat in the shade, harp in hand.
The cattle enjoyed gentle music as they fed on the greenery.
Little lamb looked busy. Every now and again, Maa called out to him and he
responded only twice. Later Maa could only hear the bell around his neck.
“Don’t stray away too far. Come back now” said mother when
the sound of the bell grew faint.
“What? But I can still see you and the shepherd. I am not
too far Maa” whined the lamb.
From a distance he could hear the other ewes commenting, “he
is very brave”, “I think he is independent” said another. “I think his mom
ought to give him a kick” said the older lambs.
So, Little lamb went on. Now, Maa was just a spot. The
shepherd though, was still visible. His heart beat fast at the excitement of
being so far from the fold. His ears pricked up, he felt excitement, joy and
fear at the same time.
Now, did he hear a rustle? Wasn’t it too close? He was
running. He couldn’t see a thing.
He could hear the panic in the fold. All he wanted now was
Maa. Something rested on his back. All at once he stopped running awaiting his
worst fear. Lying under that gruesome grip, he could hear a soft thumping. As
he began to wonder if it was his heart that he could hear, the noise steadily
grew louder.
Half-sure that his heart was now out, he wondered if dying
was easy. Suddenly, he felt the weight lifted. Shep? Sure enough he was there.
Now on the shepherd’s shoulder, the lamb saw the lion with a pebble in its
forehead.
Little lamb rested on sturdy knees as the troughs on his back were cleansed. He was in deep thought as maa lying close to him assumed he was asleep. Answering all the what its he woke up ever so grateful- for the Shep's timely intervention, for maa and her wisdom, for his resolve never to take warnings for nagging, but most of all for the scars on his back for they will remind him of obedience and love.
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