SHORT STORIES

Shepherd with a Mercenary Mind

A farmer in Belize once carried his herd out grazing in a meadow near his home every day. The field wasn't particularly rich, but there was enough grass for his sheep to graze on. His was a menial task, but he made a decent livelihood from his sheep for all intents and purposes. He would go to the local market every now and then to sell a few sheep, earning enough money to buy food, clothing, and, on rare occasions, a gift for his family, such as a yo-yo for his little child. He also struck a deal with a local beekeeper to use him for honey for a week in exchange for a sheep on another occasion.

He had promised himself that he would never change his ways.

While walking his flock to the meadow one day, he encountered a stranger who informed him about a field further away where the terrain was more lush and grass was plentiful. The visitor argued that the sheep would gain weight considerably faster on this new field, and the herd would quickly double or triple in size. He continued to instill in the shepherd's mind irrational notions of money and rank until the shepherd consented to move his flock to this new field, breaking his commitment to himself.

It had been a long journey, but when he arrived at the new area, instead of luscious grass, he discovered a barren wasteland with little for his herd to eat. He set out to return home, disappointed and ashamed of his gullibility, unsure if his herd would survive the perilous journey. A big colony of wasps, which had been disturbed by the entrance of the herd, swarmed the shepherd and his sheep, stinging them all over their faces. His sheep, which suffered from severe melissophobia, were frightened and dispersed swiftly. They were all gone in a flash, like if they'd been lost forever.

The bereft shepherd set out on his long journey home, alone and destitute, with thoughts of regret and penitence circling in his head.Midway to his home, he sat by the side of the road to rest his exhausted and shaky legs. He failed to realize that his head was just inches away from a big brown recluse spider who became alarmed by the new visitor.As the spider moved closer to protect him, as he first again assumed control of his herd and successfully brought each of them back to their old and trusted turf, he was overcome with joy.

He reiterated his previous commitment and never again strayed his herd from the trusted meadow as he watched his sheep graze happily and safely.