Be Brave and Carry

The Parable of the Sheep

Not long ago in a pasture uncomfortably close to where you live, a flock of sheep lived and grazed. They were protected by a dog, who answered to the master, but despite his best efforts from time to time wolves would prey upon the flock.

 

One day a group of sheep, more bold than the rest, met to discuss their dilemma. “Our dog is good and vigilant, but he is only one dog and the wolves are many. The wolves he catches are not always killed, and for reasons we can’t understand, the master judges and releases many to prey upon us again.”

 

That day the boldest sheep spoke up, saying “Our dog has teeth and claws like the wolf. It is the wolf’s nature to prey upon us, but if we had teeth and claws we could fight back, and stop this savagery.” The other sheep clamored in agreement, and they went together to a corner of the pasture where the dead wolves were kept as a warning. They gathered fangs and claws and made them into weapons.

 

That night, when the wolves came the newly armed sheep sprang up with their weapons and struck at them, and cried “Be gone! We are not food!” They drove off the wolves who were astonished, saying to one another “When did sheep become so bold and so dangerous? When did they grow teeth and claws? This seems unthinkable!”

 

The next day, flush with victory, the brave sheep waved their weapons as they approached the flock to pronounce their discovery. But as they drew nigh, the flock huddled together and cried out “Baaaaaaaadddd! You have Baaaaaddd things! We are afraid! You are not sheep!”

 

The brave sheep stopped, amazed. “But we are just like you!” they cried, “We are still sheep, but we do not wish to be food. See, our new teeth and claws are just tools that can protect us. They are not bad things; they have saved all of us from slaughter. They do not make us into wolves; they protect and keep us safe from their viciousness!”

 

“Baaaaaaaddd!” cried the flock, “The things that you have are bad and will pervert you, and we fear them. You cannot bring them near us. They scare us!” So the armed sheep, which had no desire to panic the flock and wished to remain in the fold, resolved to conceal their weapons. But they were resolved never to again be subjected to those nights of terror.

 

In time, the wolves which had no stomach for fighting equals, attacked less often and sought easier prey. Not knowing which sheep had fangs and which did not, they came to leave sheep out of their diet almost completely except for the occasional raid; from which more than one wolf did not return.

All was well until one day as the flock was grazing beside the stream, one sheep’s weapon slipped from the folds of her fleece. In unison the flock reacted in horror, crying out “Baaaaaaddddd! Those things that you possess are evil and they have perverted you, we fear them and you cannot bring them near us. We must ban you from our presence!”

 

And so the fearful sheep formed a court and a council, and encouraged by the words of the dishonest leaders and misguided advisors, they placed signs and totems at the edges of the pasture forbidding the presence of hidden weapons. The brave sheep protested before the council, saying “It is our pasture, too, and we have never harmed you! Have we not protected you from the wolves that prey upon us? We are still sheep, but we are not food!” Still the flock would not listen, and drowned out their protestations with cries of “Baaaaaaddd! We will not listen to your clever words! You and your things are evil and will harm us!”

 

Somehow they had forgotten that even they possessed teeth, if used only to graze the grasses of the pasture. It was only those who preyed upon the innocent, like the wolves and jackals, who turned their teeth to evil ends. The brave sheep found it hard to talk to those who, upon hearing their words, would roll back their eyes and flee as they cried “Baaaaddd! You and your things are evil!”

 

Saddened by this rejection, the armed sheep moved off and spent their days on the edges of the flock, trying from time to time to speak with their brethren to convince them of the wisdom of having such tools, but meeting with little success.

 

It didn’t take long for the wolves to happen upon the sheep’s totems and signs. They said to one another, “They have told us they have no teeth. Brothers, we are once again safe to feed upon these fools!” They set upon the flock and horrible was the carnage in the midst of the fold. The dog fought like a demon, and often seemed to be in two places at once, but not even he could halt the slaughter.

It was only when the armed sheep arrived with their weapons that the wolves fled, vowing to each other to remain on the edge of the pasture and wait for the next time they could attack; for if the sheep were this foolish once they would be so again. This they did, and still do today.

 

The next morning, the armed sheep spoke to the flock, and said, “See? If the wolves know you have no teeth, they will fall upon you. Why be prey? To be a sheep does not mean to be food for wolves!” Some of the flock wondered aloud at this revelation but most were unconvinced and cried out in terror, although more feebly for their voices were fewer, “Baaaaaaaadddd! These things are bad! If they were banished, the wolves would not harm us! Baaaaaaaddd!”

 

The brave sheep could only hang their heads and sigh. The flock had truly forgotten that even they possessed teeth, and that it was the wolves and jackals who were evil, not their tools. If you pulled their own fangs those beasts would take another’s teeth and claws, or perhaps just the broad flat teeth of a murdered sheep, and turn them to evil purposes.

 

The brave sheep knew their tools were not evil: The fangs and claws they possessed had not changed them. They still grazed like the other sheep, and they raised their lambs in the spring, and greeted their friend the dog as he walked among them. But they could not quell the terror of the flock, which arose in them like some ancient dark smoky spirit: It could not be damped by reason, nor dispelled by the light of day.

 

So they resolved to remain armed and vigil and to retain their weapons, but conceal them from the flock; to endure their fear and loathing, and even to protect their brethren if the need arose. One day, they hoped, the flock would learn to understand that as long as there were wolves in the night, sheep would need teeth to remain safe.