As the  days passed Snowy grew stronger. There was much to enjoy and much to learn and some lessons he learnt the hard way . . .    

The heat rose like a fine mist from the earth. Snowy had never been so hot. He understood now why the Shepherd had cut off his pure white coat of which he had been so proud. At the time Snowy had been outraged, unable to  understand how the Shepherd could be so cruel. Nothing his mother could say helped. He felt betrayed and worse,   unsure of whether the Shepherd really cared about him  after all.

 The heat had opened his eyes. Slowly he wandered out of the searing heat of the summer sun into the shade of a clump of trees that stood in a corner of one of the Shepherds many green fields. It was cooler here. The flies didn’t bother him so much now he was resting under the spreading branches of the oak.

Snowy couldn’t understand why his mother refused to join him. He could see her standing in the middle of the meadow gazing over to where he lay contentedly. But it wasn’t long before Snowy found out why his mother had not joined him.

 “What are you doing under my tree? Demanded a fierce voice.

 Snowy opened his eyes and was just about to tell the Voice that the tree didn’t belong to ‘it’ when he caught sight of it’s owner. It was Mrs Bossy, the biggest and strongest ewe in the flock. She glared at Snowy through narrowed eyes but Snowy didn’t see why he should give up his place just because bad-tempered old Mrs Bossy said so.

    “I was here first.” said Snowy defiantly.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when Mrs Bossy lowered her head and charged. Snowy was taken completely by surprise, nobody had ever threatened him before and now . . .

 . . . THUMP!

 Snowy felt a tremendous weight crash into his side. Pain ripped through him from nose to tail and he was hurled bodily through the air.  

 CRASH!

 As he lay on his side gasping for breath Snowy felt his mother’s warm tongue gently lick his battered body.

 “What happened Mother he asked?” still shaken from the fall.

 “You were lying in somebody else’s spot.” replied his mother between licks. But before she could say any more she was interrupted by the Fierce Voice that now filled Snowy with terror.

 “Yes sonny, my spot. Be sure you teach that lamb of yours some proper manners dear.” said Mrs Bossy threateningly. “it’s about time he learnt his place in the flock. Next time I won’t be so gentle.”

 Snowy watched in dismay as his mother lowered her head meekly. She didn’t even try to defend him. Didn’t she love him any more?

 “Quickly Snowy,” whispered his mother, ”let’s go before she loses her temper again.”

 Snowy could see his mother was anxious and afraid and so he dragged his aching legs after her.

 “When I’m grown up I’ll show her she can’t push me around,” he said, tears rolling down his face. “Can we go and rest somewhere else now?” he pleaded.

 “I know just the place.” replied his mother.

Snowy followed obediently, too weary to argue. But where was his mother taking him? She seemed to be heading for a thicket of myrtle bushes, but there was already some sheep resting under its foliage and Snowy had had enough trouble for one day.

 “That’s my place!”

 Snowy listened in astonishment as his mother stood her ground glaring at the sheep who lay beneath the myrtle trees. Snowy recognized the oldest ewe. Her name was Gentle-Eyes. She was one of the smallest and gentlest ewes in the flock. Snowy was very fond of her for she had shown him many kindnesses even though she had a lamb of her own to look after.

 “But we were here first you know.” answered Gentle-Eyes quietly.

 Snowy’s mother said nothing in reply, she just lowered her head and charged. Snowy couldn’t believe his eyes. His mother was behaving just like Mrs Bossy.  Fortunately Gentle-Eyes  was quicker to sense danger than he had been. She dodged out of the way just in time and fled across the meadow with Snowy’s mother in hot pursuit. What was happening? Why was everyone behaving so badly?

 Suddenly, in mid-chase, Snowy’s mother and Gentle-Eyes stopped. Snowy could see why. The Shepherd was standing in the middle of the meadow calling His sheep.

 Before long the whole flock was gathered round Him trying to get as near to their master as they could. Mrs Bossy, Gentle-Eyes and Snowy’s mother brushed against each other in their eagerness to be where the Shepherd was, the quarrels of the day long forgotten.

That night they lay together in the Sheepfold gazing up at the stars.

 “Mother,” Snowy said, breaking the silence, “why did Mrs Bossy butt me today and why did you try to butt Gentle-Eyes?”

 “You’re so young Snowy,” his mother sighed, “you have to learn that every sheep has his proper place.”

 Snowy was quiet for a moment, not understanding, and then he said, “But why did you stop when the Shepherd came?”

 Snowy’s mother blinked and gazed up into the night sky. “Because when He is there nothing else seems to matter.” she answered half to Snowy and half to herself.

 Snowy shut his eyes. This time he knew exactly what his mother meant.

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Three audio volumes present a fully dramatized and musical version of the Zonderkidz NIrV Little Kids’ Adventure Bible for children ages four through seven. Also included are one-minute NIV memorization songs and brief features from the Bible that give short, fun snippets of trivia, facts, and other helpful information.