Once upon a time, there was a little lamb. She lived in the big meadow with all the other sheep, but she wasn’t like the other sheep. Oh, no, she had dreams. And plans. And ambitions to see the big, wide world!
And so every day, she quietly, secretly slipped out of the big meadow into the even bigger world.
“Hello, world!” she said, every day, just the same.
And then she looked back into the big meadow and saw her mama and the other sheep, and she said, “Oh, no, what have I done?!” Every day, just the same.
Then oh how that baby cried and cried. What was the big, wide world without her family?
She cried until the people found her. They would open the gate for her and in she’d go!
Back to her mama and the other sheep. Right where she belonged.
Only then she’d look out at the big, wide world again and out she’d go.
And in.
And out.
AND IN.
AND OUT.
All summer long.
Strangers would come up to the house and say, “Your lamb is out! Your lamb is out!”
And the people would go down and let her back in. Sometimes they’d check during the day, just to be sure she wasn’t out again. Check. And check. No matter how hard they tried, the people couldn’t figure out how she kept escaping. They were the laughingstock of the countryside. Every day their neighbors pointed and laughed and said, “Your lamb’s out again!”
Sometimes the people were in a hurry and they drove right past her then came back to let her in….and found her already back in. She could actually let herself back in all on her own if she wanted to, going back in however it was that she came out, though most often she stood at the gate and cried to be let in by the people instead.
But they still didn’t know how or where or why she was doing it. The people tried this, and they tried that. None of the other sheep were getting out! Only that one little lamb. Was she just smarter than the other sheep? Was she a Houdini? If she was always crying to go back in, why was she always getting out?
Little lamb, little lamb, why, oh why?
That smart little Houdini of a lamb was so confused then! What kind of question was that????
Little Lamb: “Why, you ask why?”
just
because
I can.”
Shelly says:
She likes the attention. :yes: :yes: :bugeyed: :bugeyed: 😉 😉
On August 21, 2010 at 2:17 am
Laurel in Northeast Tennessee says:
:moo: Isn’t that the reason most do things…because they can!?!?! :sheep:
On August 21, 2010 at 5:26 am
Jyl says:
We had a goat that would do the same thing and his name was actually Houdini. He drove me insane with all of his antics. It didn’t matter where we put him he could get out.
On August 21, 2010 at 6:51 am
CindyP says:
Grass is always greener on the other side….until you get there! Or she’s bored and misses you way down the road.
You need one of those wild game cameras set up….Little Miss Houdini wouldn’t know what to do.
On August 21, 2010 at 7:01 am
darrell says:
Yep, emberrasing ain’t it! My dog Daisey has escaped from the yard more times than can be counted. I’m thankful when the neighbors call, and then are kind enough to put her back. But I do want to put a bag over my head when I drive back into the neighborhood.
On August 21, 2010 at 7:34 am
Diane says:
could she fit though the rails of the gate? We live out in the country have have told people of their cows walking along the road, horses out, goats we put back into the gates. lol. Some animals just know how to get out. lol.
On August 21, 2010 at 7:35 am
evelee says:
DO not ask why, rather ask, “WHY NOT” .
Like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, dare to be different.
On August 21, 2010 at 7:55 am
Miss Becky says:
oh, that wool is beautiful!
On August 21, 2010 at 7:58 am
Monica says:
*LOL* Well, of course! That’s exactly the answer my Keani-man would give if asked about some of his curious habits. Love the photos, thanks for sharing 🙂
On August 21, 2010 at 8:04 am
Jeannie says:
I really wish you would write a children’s book of barnyard stories. Priceless!
On August 21, 2010 at 8:36 am
rain swazey says:
you should be writing childrens books with ur photos for illustrations Suzanne :sheep: wonderful!!
On August 21, 2010 at 9:25 am
Blyss says:
Reminds me of when I had a Shetland Sheep that more or less did the same thing. We finally figured out she was jumping the fence. She had plenty of room to get a running start, and would just sail right over those 5 foot fencelines! She would go off to graze on greener pastures outside hers, then one of her babies would call and she would sail back in.
We also had a goat (who we think) learned from her, and did the same thing. What we finally did was used a Carla Emery trick, where we made a collar from a Y shaped tree branch that we tied with baling twine to the goats neck. It only took about 3 or 4 days, and the goat learned she couldn’t jump anymore, and we took it off. She was never next to the house grazing from my herb gardens again!
We could never catch the sheep… her name was Meagan the Mean, if it gives you any indication of her attitude to being a kept woman! When she was rounded up for shearing and vaccinations, they asked if we wanted to try the stick trick (as we called it) but we decided not to in case there was a problem and we needed to help her. (The goat thought she was human and should be in the house with us, so she was easy to “catch” if she had a problem from her stick… she never did though.) Meagan, however, was a very anti-social sheep, but she had the most beautiful wool and most gorgeous babies ever…. so we put up with her shunning her lowly serf people.
On August 21, 2010 at 9:36 am
Ang. says:
I have a horse like that. And, yes, I do call him Houdini Horse. Maybe we could arrange a meeting and they could explore the world together!
On August 21, 2010 at 9:42 am
Tina says:
As usual, Suzanne, your tales of barnyard life have proven to be cute as all get-out and entertaining to boot. I agree with the poster who suggested you write children’s books. The way your pictures and captions bring the reader along with you is very engaging.
On August 21, 2010 at 11:09 am
cranberry says:
What a beautiful girl!
On August 21, 2010 at 11:18 am
Mary says:
There’s only one thing to do. LAMB CAM! Around the collar.
On August 21, 2010 at 11:28 am
Patrice says:
Perhaps she’s collecting stories of her adventures for her own blog. She might sneak in the house each night and use your computer. 🙂 :sheep: At least she went no further! I had to find another home for my 19-1 hand 2000 pound Clydesdale who liked to go touring through the neighborhood. Visions of liability danced in my head! :sheepjump:
On August 21, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Minna says:
Hmm. Maybe she has read Nighthawk by Rachel Lee. There was a sheep in that book, who also was a bit of an escape artist.
On August 21, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Ulrike says:
The Lamb Cam idea amuses me. :sheep:
On August 21, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Brenda E says:
Oh what a cute story – that is so funny. You crack me up Suzanne.
On August 21, 2010 at 9:45 pm
yvette says:
Hi there..a great story with wonderful farm photo’s…my visitors are usually proud prancing peacocks from my neighbours house…x
On August 22, 2010 at 12:32 am
Beth Brown says:
I have a llama like that. Two years, Dolly Llama never escaped. Now she does, everyday.
Beth
On August 22, 2010 at 10:47 am
jill from spencer, wv says:
she is probably squeezing through your gate!
On August 22, 2010 at 11:28 am
Karen Anne says:
My money is on squeezing through the gate too.
On August 22, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Runningtrails says:
What beautiful brown wool that lamb has!
On August 23, 2010 at 8:24 am
Susan at Charm of the Carolines says:
What a beauty!! A lamb cam would be perfect for this talent destined for Hollywood!
Susan
On August 23, 2010 at 8:19 pm
elizabethelfoss says:
thats so adorible! :sheepjump:
On August 21, 2011 at 10:35 pm