13 Shaggy the Sheep

Shaggy the Sheep written by Pam Holden illustrated by Kelvin Hawley

Shaggy was a happy young sheep who liked to run and jump and skip. He lived on a mountain with lots of other sheep. One day, Shaggy saw Farmer Jim and his dog, Toby, coming up the mountain to get all the sheep. It was time to cut off their wool.

Shaggy didn't want to have his wool cut off, so he hid inside a little dark cave. Farmer Jim and Toby couldn't find him there. Shaggy was left behind in the cave. Farmer Jim took the other sheep away to cut off all their wool.

When the sheep came back, they all looked thin and white and happy. They ran fast and skipped and jumped. Shaggy still looked woolly and fat. He could still run and jump, but he was much slower than his friends.

Soon, the sheep grew new wool. After a year, Farmer Jim came back to get them, because it was time to cut their wool off again. Shaggy hid quietly in his little cave. Farmer Jim and Toby couldn't see him there, so they left him behind. All the other sheep had their wool cut off again. Shaggy was woollier and fatter and slower than his friends.

Every year, Shaggy watched Farmer Jim and Toby coming to get the sheep. He hid in his little cave every time. Farmer Jim couldn't see any more sheep, so Shaggy was left behind again and again. He stayed on the mountain for six years, growing more and more wool. Poor Shaggy couldn't run and jump at all, because his wool was too heavy and thick.