Tag: Sheep

Click here to read part one.

The next morning Joseph arose, opened the wolf’s cage and placed a rope around his neck. He led him to the sheepfold and opened the gate, then beckoned the sheep to pasture. Obediently as always, though with a sense of apprehension, they moved forward. Still and silent, the wolf looked on.

The day progressed as each day before, with the lone exception being the wolf sitting at Joseph’s side. The sheep milled about, each to his own business, eating grass as hunger dictated. By midday Joseph signaled for all to advance to the river and led the procession with wolf in tow. Once arrived, they all drank.

The afternoon held more of the same. Joseph stood solemnly with the wolf by his side as the sheep would graze. Yet for some reason the wolf grew more and more agitated. It started slowly with a low, guttural bellow. A little while later his tail began to sway, slightly more than usual. Sometime later, he began to twitch.

The two sheep who earlier had tried to communicate with the wolf were the first to notice the change in constitution. Sympathetically, they approached to inquire and offer their greetings. They had realized that all morning the wolf had been neglected, as each sheep, including themselves, had simply pursued their normal routine. The wolf, they thought, had behaved all day, but was never extended a welcome.

Just as the sheep were gaining their awareness, the wolf was losing his. The twitching had become a full on shake; he was not suffering from loneliness, but from hunger. Denied his prey the day before, it had been far too long since he had eaten. The sheep’s grass did not appeal at all.

As the sheep sauntered closer his instincts kicked in. Explosively he launched himself at the tender sheep who froze in their tracks. Inches away from descending upon them he jerked back, as Joseph held the rope taut. The wolf collapsed and whimpered in pain as the sheep, cautiously, gathered around.

At this point in the story Emma spoke up. “Maybe they should kill a kharouf, or a baqara.” I cannot tell if she knew exactly what she was saying, but she gave me the ending necessary. The word baqara is Arabic for cow, but kharouf is Arabic for sheep.

Joseph gathered the extended rope and began again to tie the wolf’s mouth and front legs. Just then an older sheep moved forward sadly, but deliberately. He spoke to Joseph while looking at the wolf, “It is true a wolf must eat meat. We sheep love you Joseph, and enjoy the meadow and the river and the sheepfold. But we also know that the day will come when we are slaughtered so that men can eat. I am the oldest sheep here, and therefore the next to die. Take me now, sacrifice me, and give my meat to the wolf. Then he can stay with us, be filled, and not attack.”

Joseph looked at his sheep with compassion; all nodded their heads in agreement, implicitly knowing their time would also come. Joseph drew his knife and cut up the generous sheep.

That evening the wolf ate more deliberately than he ever did before. As Joseph led the sheep back to the fold he brought the wolf, bound now only by the original rope around his neck, back to the cage. He entered, sheepishly, and Joseph spoke to him. “Tomorrow you will come out with us again, only this time, there will be no rope. You will be fed by the meat provided yesterday, and drink with the sheep from the river. You will stay by my side, and I will watch you. Take care, but join our flock.”

The next morning the sheep went out again, walking with one eye askance at the wolf who was walking unbound by Joseph’s side. During the morning grazing the two sheep wandered but then remembered to greet the wolf. From afar they made their way towards him, making sure their approach kept Joseph in between the two parties. Taking notice of them the wolf’s ears shot up. He burst past Joseph, knocking him down as he raced in their direction. The sheep had imagined being less timid, but their primal fear resurfaced as the wolf’s fangs emerged. As he leaped their “Baaaaaaa” hung in the air like an icy chill but then trailed off as the wolf, strangely, missed his mark. The sheep looked back to find the wolf covered in blood, his jaw clenched around the throat of a jackal which had moved against the sheep from behind.

Joseph came quickly and all the other sheep looked on. He rubbed his hand against the fur of the wolf and whispered his thanks into his ear. Then he collected the carcass of the jackal to prepare later for food, redeeming the life of the now-oldest sheep, if only for a time. The two sheep, meanwhile, had recovered from their shock and nestled their noses into the wolf’s side. “Next time,” they said as they smiled, “perhaps you can talk to him first; maybe he would be friendly. But you will have to be very brave…”

Note: ‘cut up’ is the language Emma uses for how sheep die. To find out why, read this earlier post.

Sometimes I like to tell Emma and Hannah stories. I ask Emma for a subject and then Hannah for one, and try to combine the two into a tale or song. On this occasion, just before Julie was to put them to bed, Emma asked for Joseph, as in the one with the fancy colored coat, and Hannah asked for sheep. As I take liberty with the story, the tale which follows has no resemblance to the Biblical Joseph save for his name. I hope you enjoy; the ending will have a question I hope you find insightful, and for which your comments are appreciated.

One day Joseph was out tending his sheep. He brought them to green grass which he had them eat, and to sparkling waters which he had them drink. (Emma and Hannah were sitting on the floor as I sat on the bed, and they were encouraged to bend to the floor to eat and drink as well. Feel free to do the same.)

One day as they were enjoying their normal day the sheep spotted a wolf in the distance. They were scared, and looked to Joseph to know what to do.

Joseph was a kind shepherd with a good heart; not only did he love his sheep he wanted all animals to live in peace. He brought two sheep in close to speak with them privately.

“I would like you two sheep to be very brave,” he said. “When the wolf comes I would like you to stand your ground and not run away. As he approaches greet him simply, and say ‘hello’. I will go and hide behind that nearby tree. If the wolf greets you back and is friendly, all will be well. If not, I will jump out from behind the tree so that he does not harm you. Can you do this?”

The sheep were afraid, but trusted Joseph. As the wolf descended the hill they stepped forward timidly, so as to be the first sheep he would come across in the flock. As the wolf noticed this, the rapid pace of his bounding slowed; it was not often the sheep would come to him.

“H-h-hello Mr. Wolf, h-h-how are you?” the sheep initiated nervously.

The wolf stopped, but gave no reply. His back legs coiled and his lips drew back revealing the pointed tips of his fangs. Just as he was about to spring upon his prey Joseph leaped out from behind the tree, catching the wolf in mid-air, and wrestled him to the ground. He took out his rope and bound his mouth and his front legs. As the sheep cheered, Joseph took a peg and tied the wolf to the stake in the ground, and each sheep went back to his grazing.

As the day progressed Joseph led the sheep to other pastures, taking the wolf along with them, and several hours later returned to the river to drink. The two sheep watched curiously as Joseph walked the wolf, still bound by the rope, everywhere they went. As he untied his mouth and allowed him also to drink, however, they could no longer hold their peace.

“Why are you taking that wolf with us wherever we go?” they asked. “He tried to kill us all, you should have left him bound, tied to the ground to die. Yet now you even loosen his mouth to give him to drink? Why are you helping him?”

The wolf raised his pointed ears as he continued to lap up the river water. “It is true this wolf tried to kill you, but we must show him kindness even so. It may be that if we do not treat him as he deserves that he will change and also be kind in return. You were very brave when you tried this at first; you must continue to be brave. But do not be afraid, I will not let him harm you. Tomorrow I will take him with us again out to pasture. I will even let him run freely, though he will stay connected to my rope. If he cannot change, I will take him far away from you, so that he will not bother you again. But this is something which we must try.”

The sheep nodded warily, and Joseph led the flock back into their fold. The wolf he pulled aside to put into a separate cage. As he closed the gate he looked sympathetically at the wolf.

“Tomorrow we will return to the fields,” he spoke as he untied the rope from his mouth and front legs, which had been reapplied after leaving the river. “I will even keep these ropes away from you, save for this long one around your neck. You will be with us and I will treat you kindly as I treat my sheep, but I will watch you closely. I will send you far away, back to the wild, should you try to harm them.”

The wolf nodded, Joseph left, and the sheep bleated in the distance. After pacing about his cage for what seemed like an eternity, the wolf went to sleep.

Tell me, what should happen next? Emma and Hannah were engrossed in the story, and I was thankful it was time for them to go to sleep themselves. To be honest, I had no idea where to go next. Should the wolf reform and join the flock? Should he lash out once more and be banished forever? More importantly, what lesson should be woven into this tale?

Up until now I have had no qualms with the implicit sermonizing. It is good to stand firmly, but friendly, against an oppositional threat. Once subdued, kindness must be offered instead of revenge. I will be very proud if my daughters behave this way.

Yet there are wolves in this world, and generally speaking, they do not change. If the story continues with a repentant wolf, will I be painting a false idealism which will set them up for failure and pain? Or, if the wolf resumes his attack in the morning – worse if he pretends to be reformed – will I confirm, to modify the metaphor, that a leopard cannot change his spots, and therefore we should always be guarded?

It is only a story, and it will fade from memory. Life teaches the best lessons. Stories, however, provide the interpretive context.

The next morning the girls awoke and immediately desired the conclusion of the story. Not knowing exactly what to do, I began by retelling the story from the beginning. Along the way, Emma provided the answer…

Part two will follow in a couple days. Until then, if you have suggestions for how the story should continue and end, please feel free to share in the comments.