The Lost Lamb

1Every evening, Kiri helped her dad count the sheep as they came through the gate into the night paddock. One hundred and twenty sheep, every night.

2But tonight, she counted only one hundred and nineteen.

3“Dad,” she said, “one is missing.”

4Dad counted again. Kiri was right. “It’s probably Snowy,” he said, frowning. “The new lamb. She’s always wandering.”

5The sun was already low, and dark clouds were gathering over the hills. Dad looked at the sky. “I’ll check the creek. You check the gully, but come straight back before it’s dark.”

6Kiri ran down the track towards the gully, calling, “Snowy! Snowy!” The wind whistled through the gum trees. A cockatoo screeched. But there was no bleating.

7She was about to turn back when she heard it: a tiny, frightened “Baaa!” coming from a clump of blackberry bushes. Kiri crouched down. There was Snowy, her woolly coat tangled in the thorny branches. The more the lamb pulled, the more she was caught.

8Kiri knew she could not pull Snowy out without hurting her. She took off her jumper, wrapped it around her hand and carefully lifted the prickly branches one by one. Her fingers stung, but she kept going until Snowy was free.

9The lamb pressed against Kiri’s legs, shaking. Kiri picked her up and carried her all the way home, just as the first drops of rain began to fall.

10Dad was waiting at the gate. He did not say anything at first. He just wrapped them both in a big, warm hug. “One hundred and twenty,” he said at last, and smiled.