Snowy’s first winter was past.  Spring had come and Summer beckoned the flock. A feeling of excitement gripped Snowy although he could not say why.  Perhaps it was because the rest of the flock seemed to be expecting something to happen. Many of them were nervous and bad-tempered and frequent squabbles broke out among the young ewes. As for his mother she too was behaving strangely, hardly seeming to notice he was there. At length Snowy could stand it no longer.

“Mother,” he asked, “is something going to happen to us?”

“Yes” answered his mother and Snowy could not help noticing that she looked afraid. “The Shepherd is taking us to the high pastures.”

“What’s it like in the high pastures mother?” asked Snowy beginning to feel a little anxious himself.

“The grass is rich and plentiful. The sun warm and the air as clear as fresh spring water.”

Snowy was puzzled.

“Then what are you worried about Mother?” he asked. “Don’t you want to leave our fields?”

“Of course she does.”

Snowy jumped. He hadn’t realized anyone else was listening. “She’d be a very silly ewe if she wanted to stay here forever!”           

It was Dewfall, the oldest and wisest sheep in the flock.

“But why?” answered Snowy. “This is our home.”

Dewfall looked at Snowy’s mother and said, “I’m sure your mother has introduced you to our neighbors in the next fields.”

Snowy nodded remembering the thin, unhappy sheep who had lost her lamb and the hireling shepherd who didn’t care.

“If we stayed here all the time,” continued Dewfall, “our home would soon look like those fields next to us.”

Snowy was shocked. “It would, why?”

“Because most sheep are pretty stupid as you have probably noticed by now?”

Snowy and his mother blushed deep red beneath their wool.

“If we were left to ourselves we would graze the same hills until they became desert wastes. Follow the same trails until they became deep ruts. Dirty our own drinking water until it became unfit to drink.”

Snowy shuddered. “Then the Shepherd has to move us for our own good?”

Dewfall smiled. “You have the makings of a sensible sheep Snowy.” She turned and made her way slowly towards where the rest of the flock  were beginning to gather as they patiently awaited the Shepherd. Snowy looked at his mother. She was still miserable despite everything wise old Dewfall had told them. Surely his mother didn’t want to stay until the fields looked became rutted and bare?

“Why don’t you want to go to the high pastures Mother?”

Snowy’s mother looked at her little lamb. He was not growing up fast. She sighed, there was no point in trying to hide the truth. “I’m afraid.” she said in a low voice.

“Afraid of what?” Snowy asked.

“The journey.” she replied as her eyes gazed over the fields to the distant hills.

That night, try though he might, Snowy could not sleep. Beside him his mother shifted about and Snowy knew that for her too the night was proving long and restless.

“Mother,” he whispered, “what’s a journey?”

At first there was only silence and Snowy thought his mother had not heard. Just as he had given up expecting a reply she answered him and Snowy knew she had been thinking very carefully of what to say.

“A journey is moving from somewhere safe and comfortable into the unknown.”

“But the Shepherd must know where He’s taking us?”

Snowy sensed his mother smile in the dark.

“Yes, Snowy, He knows.”

“Then why are you afraid to follow Him? Dewfall said if we stay here we’ll get sick like the sheep next door.”

“Dewfall’s right. We have to follow the Shepherd but the way is long and there are many dangers. Things best not spoken of in the dark.”

Despite the closeness of the slumbering flock around him Snowy shivered. He was glad the Shepherd lay across the entrance to the sheepfold. Nothing would get past Him. Even in the past when the strange noises he had heard in the night had startled the flock Snowy did not worry because he knew the Shepherd was always outside on guard.

“Then we’d best keep close to Him hadn’t we Mother?”

“Dewfall was right,” said his mother gently, “you do have the makings of a very sensible sheep Snowy.”

Flushed with pride Snowy shut his eyes and sleep closed around him like the night.

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