Harriet the Lamb.

There was a flock of sheep which grazed and munched on grass all day long.

 

The shepherd looked after them well

but sometimes he was a bit late in putting them into a new field

or topping up the water.

However, he always tried to do his best.

 

There was a little lamb called Harriet and she was full of life,

jumping here and there and always exploring.

She always had questions like:

 

“Who pulls the sun down at night?”

“Are there holes in the sky for the rain to come through?”

“Why are there fences stopping me exploring?”

 

Most of the sheep were too busy munching to answer all her questions except old Nan.

She was very old and she knew everything.

She always had time to explain things to Harriet, like:

Where the best grass would be and why those heavy winter coats were not needed in the warm summer so they had to be shaved off.

 

One day Harriet had a really important question

and she looked for Nan.

 

She looked and looked but she wasn’t in any of her normal places.

Then she heard a strange bleating from the other sheep

and ran to where they had gathered.

There was Nan on her side, not moving.

Harriet nuzzled her but she was cold.

 

After some time, the sheep went away

and the shepherd came and took Nan away.

There was no more Nan.

No more answers to strange questions.

Where had Nan gone?

 

Later on, in the year Harriet got a cough and didn’t feel well,

the cough didn’t go and she felt so weak for days.

Then during the night while all the sheep and lambs were asleep,

Harriet looked up and saw a shepherd coming towards her.

She had never seen him before but she wasn’t scared.

 

He had a kind face and a crook in his hand.

He stroked her head and said he was the Good Shepherd

and he wanted her to join his flock.

Harriet suddenly felt really strong and stood up,

the Good Shepherd gathered her in his arms.

 

As he walked away, she looked back

and saw her old body lying on the ground.

She asked “don’t I need my body anymore?”

The Good Shepherd said

‘Do you remember Nan telling you about those heavy coats for winter that are not needed in the summer,  

well that’s like your old body, it’s done its job

and now we’re going to a place which is warm all the time”.

 

 “Good Shepherd, will Nan be there?” Harriet asked.

“Yes, she is there and waiting for you” the Good Shepherd said.

Harriet was always full of questions.

 

“Is the grass good there?” she asked.

“The best!” laughed the Good Shepherd.

 

She asked why she was called into his flock when she was young

but Nan was old when she was called.

The Good Shepherd explained the reason to her.

She asked if she, or he, could explain this to her mother

who would be sad?

 

The Good Shepherd said he loved her mother to

and would explain everything to her when he called her in his flock.

That would be the right time.

 

With that Harriet fell silent feeling happy in the strong arms of the Good Shepherd knowing he knew best.

 

But as usual she had one last question.

“Will there be fences around my new flock?”

The Good Shepherd looked deep into her eyes and said

“Harriet, there are no restrictions,

no fences,

all I have is yours

and I will care for you forever”.

 

 

© Richard William Graham