This story was one of a series I wrote for school assemblies.

The Lost Lamb

The sun was warm in the high pastures. Snowy the new born lamb snuggled into his mother’ side. He felt safe and sleepy. His mother’s milk was rich and satisfying. Snowy shut his eyes, nothing could harm him here. If he opened one eye just a little he could see the Shepherd standing near, tall and strong, leaning on his staff as he cast a  watchful eye over the flock. The sound of bleating faded in his ears, not even the insects droning about his head    bothered him now. Soon he was fast asleep.

Snowy was awakened by his mother nudging gently with her head.

“Come on Snowy,” she said, “it’s time for us to leave. The Shepherd is calling us.”

“I didn’t hear him.” answered Snowy sleepily.

“I’m not surprised, you were too busy snoring.” replied his mother smiling.

Snowy unsteadily got to his feet. Most of the flock had already answered their master’s call and were waiting patiently to follow the shepherd down the steep mountain paths.

“Where are we going?” asked Snowy, not wanting to leave the green pastures and the warm sun.

“We’re going home, back to the sheepfold.” his mother replied.

“Must we? It’s still daylight, I don’t want to go to bed yet.”

“By the time we reach the sheepfold it will be almost dark and, besides, when the sun goes down it gets very cold out here in the open. So hurry up we mustn’t lose sight of the shepherd whatever happens.”

Snowy knew by the tone in his mother’s voice that there was no point arguing. Sulkily he followed her as she joined the rest of the flock behind the shepherd.   

Satisfied that all the sheep were gathered together the shepherd began to lead them down the rugged mountain slopes.

This was silly, thought Snowy. What was the point in going home yet, he wasn’t even tired? His mother was busy talking to another of the ewes who had just given birth to a lamb even younger than he was. Seizing the opportunity Snowy skipped away from his mother and the rest of the flock. For a while he watched them make their way down the mountainside, his mother still deep in conversation with her friend, until following the shepherd they disappeared out of sight. Snowy was alone.

Alone! For the first time in his short life Snowy was on his own. He felt grown up and important, what was everyone making so much fuss about? He could always find his way back later. Who needed the shepherd anyway? But even as he stood thinking about how brave and clever he was the sun began to slip over the shoulder of the mountains and shadows crept towards him across the green pastures. Snowy shivered. What was it his mother had told him about the cold nights that fell suddenly in the high places? In the shadows   something moved.

 A frightened bleat escaped Snowy’s lips. He felt sure something else was near, something very unfriendly. Perhaps being on your own wasn’t such a good idea after all. Snowy ran as fast as his little legs would carry him back down the mountain path.

The others couldn’t have gone far and he knew the way back to the sheepfold. Or did he? As the sun disappeared over the horizon the mountain took on an unfamiliar shape. Shadows shifted and changed and Snowy realized with a fainting heart that he was lost. From somewhere behind him on the path he heard a sound. At least, he thought he did. Who could it be? It couldn’t be his mother or the shepherd. Snowy remembered the warning his mother had given him about straying from the path. How there were other creatures, fierce and wild, who just waited for the chance of finding a helpless lamb alone on the mountain-side. Panic and fear snapped at Snowy’s heels and blindly he fled headlong into the gathering gloom.  

Snowy was so frightened he had forgotten the other warning his mother had given him. How she had told him always to stick to the paths for there were deep crevasses and sheer cliff faces everywhere and many sheep had fallen in the darkness to their death. Without realising he had left the path and before he was able to stop himself he was sliding out of control down a steep rock face. Stones, loosened by his fall, bounced around him striking him painfully on his head and flanks.  

After what seemed an age his fall came to such an sudden end that Snowy felt the breath knocked out of his body. He lay there bruised and helpless. After a while, when he felt strong enough, he struggled slowly to his feet. He was on a narrow ledge. Below was a sheer drop the bottom of which was hidden in darkness. He turned and tried desperately to scramble back up the slope but it proved hopeless. More exhausted than ever Snowy slumped back down and lay there feeling miserable and too tired even to bleat for help.

This time he was sure he heard something. He listened   anxiously. There it was again! It was definitely getting closer. What could a foolish, helpless little lamb do? There was nowhere to run. He got to his feet and backed towards the very edge of the precipice. He didn’t feel brave now, just lost and alone. Snowy bleated as loudly as he could but who was there to hear him?

“Don’t worry little one,” said a familiar and welcome voice, “I’ve come to take you home.”

It was the shepherd. Almost the same time as he recognized the voice Snowy could see the silhouette of his master clambering purposefully down to where he was.

“Well, you do look in a sorry state. I think I found you just in time.”

Strong hands reached down and lifted Snowy up. He felt himself being swung across broad shoulders and then, exhausted by his ordeal, Snowy closed his eyes and fell asleep.

“How did the shepherd know where to find me?” Snowy asked his mother as he snuggled as closely as he could into her warm side.

“I don’t know,” his mother replied, “but when he found you were missing he left us here in the sheepfold and went back to look for you even though it was dark and dangerous.”

“He left all of you just to find me?” Snowy was amazed and a little ashamed.

“Yes,” said his mother with just a hint of firmness in her voice, “he left us all just for the sake of one foolish, disobedient little lamb.”

Lambs don’t blush, but if they could Snowy would have blushed purple.

“Some of the flock weren’t very happy about being left alone while our master went off to look for you. But I know the shepherd would have searched all night until he found you. Aren’t you glad you belong to him?”

Snowy didn’t answer, he was already fast asleep.

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A collection of songs to amuse your child. Songs include: The Zoo Theme, The Animal Fair, The Bear Went Over the Mountain, Who Cares if the Bear? The Animal Song, How Doth the Little Crocodile, The Pelican’s Beak, The Day the Animals Lost their Voices, 5 Little Monkeys,The Animals Went In Two by Two.