The Shepherd's Sheers
In a village, overflowing with emerald valleys, lived two shepherds. A wrinkled man, as smooth as a raisin, and a young fellow, green as the grass their herds ate. The fellow was tending to the herd, keeping every ram and ewe on the right path, watching for the wolves and the coyotes of the area before the young man went to tend to the fields nearby.

With the sun now high overhead, and after slaving over the weeds in the fields, the young lad was drenched in sweat, all of his joints violently protesting against his every movement, and his eyes straining to see through the glare.  Finding sanctuary in the tree’s shadows, the young man, thought a break was long overdue. After he caught his breath he assessed his herd; totaling the number within the fenced off land. He quickly realized after several glances that the pregnant ewe was missing. Bewildered, he quickly scoured the area, desperately searching for the ewe, 'til he reached the edge of the towering birch grove that wasn’t far off from the fence. And though beads of sweat trickled past his brow, a chill ran down his back at the sight of those sharp branches.

Suddenly something stirred. There came a rustling from the underbrush, and then a loud blate came ringing from deep in the forest.
The fellow was terrified, but he knew that they needed the ewe in order to go on, so, with his breath trapped in his lungs, he crept into the wood. The birch grew close together and loomed higher and higher above his head, with branches that stuck out, sharp as needles, but still he crept forward. Another cry reverberated around him, closer this time. Much closer. Now the young man scrambled quicker, hoping to find the sheep at last so that he may leave. He could hear a sob, though not from the sheep, but from what seemed to be another person.
Approaching a small clearing in the woods, he saw the oddest thing, which instantly etched itself into his mind.
There he saw the pregnant sheep, nuzzling a newborn that had been placed upon a heap of crimson leaves. The babe’s cheeks were the shade of apples, with eyes the coloring of an oak tree. Bewildered, he (having forgotten his fears) surveyed the birch around the clearing seeing no one but the baby.There weren’t any footsteps, save for his own, and not a trace of anyone. Without warning the baby began to thrash around on its little pile of leaves, and although its mouth was moving, there was no sound. Empathetic for the child, the man went to comfort it, bracing it’s neck as he lifted it up. Cradling the babe in his arms, he abruptly remembered why he had come there to begin with and reached for the ewe as well. Now with both in his arms, he solidified his intentions before racing out of the woods.
When he reached the sheep pen he set down the pregnant ewe, which quickly trotted back to her herd. Staring at the now sleeping child, he sauntered back into the house. He gingerly held the door handle, his eyes fixed upon the window nearby where golden light spilled onto the grass. Sighing, he now tightly gripped the door handle, pushing the door open.
In the kitchen from where the light was radiating, he heard something stir.
“Oh, so you didn’t completely abandon me, I guess I should be honored.” the old man croaked.
The pruney man was small in stature but he always looked down his crooked nose at the lad.
“ I’m sorry gramps I was jus-”
“ You were just what? Leaving all of your chores for me?” His cane was firmly planted to the ground and his free hand now rested on his hip, “Because you know how easy it is for me to feed the chickens, or to chop wood.”
The young lad’s gut sank low, but what should he have done differently?
“Gramps, the pregnant ewe escaped into the birch grove and I went to find her,” he paused looking at the child in his arms, “ and while in the woods I found this baby!”
He lifted the small child to the old man, attempting to prove his innocence. The older man’s eyes widened and his jaw slacked.
“Clay, what are you thinking? You found a baby in the woods and you brought it home? Clay, you know that those woods are haunted! We don’t dare go into its cursed depths! You know just the other day John the butcher-”
“ I don’t care what John saw in the forest!” he yelled, but the child in his arms shifted reminding the lad to watch his volume. With a whisper, “ We have to care for it Gramps, and I know I found it in the forest, but it’s just a baby. Please.”
The old man grabbed a chair from the kitchen and sat down.
“ Let me see the kid.”
Clay quickly nodded his head in response, then handed the baby over. Showing his age, his grandfather held the child like he held the yearlings. His weary eyes ran over the sleeping babe’s face before returning back to Clay’s face. He sighed, then mumbled,
“ We’ll keep the kid for now, but if someone comes for it, we’re giving it back. Understood?”
“ Yes, I promise!”