The shepherd took great care of his flock of sheep keeping them from harm within the safety of the sturdy pen

The spring lambs now older by several months, still stayed close to their mothers from milk and warmth

All except one slightly older lamb who looked longingly at the greener looking grass outside of the pen, and as he was still young he was small enough to push himself through the gaps in the fencing

Feeling pleased with himself at escaping he scampered off enjoying this new found freedom

Stopping only briefly to much grass, which to his surprise did not taste any better

He moved swiftly onward in his freedom adventure, without any thought to any direction to go

As the day went on he glanced back but was unable to remember which was the way back home, he shuddered slightly but decided he was old enough to be on his own

He lay down awhile too rest and enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine, without meaning to he fell asleep until his body shuddered again only with the cold this time

As the day had turned to night while he was asleep, the increasing darkness brought a sense of fear and loneliness

The darkness increased until he could not see his way, so he lay down and huddled himself as small as he could, trying to convince himself he was snuggled next to his mother

Several days and long lonely nights past he had lost all sense of direction, and wandered aimlessly not realizing the ground where he was walking was crumbly until it gave away under his feet

He fell with the soil onto a small ledge with no hope of getting back up onto more solid ground

With the increased sense of hopeless, he bleated, again and again, when from a distance he heard a voice he knew, the shepherd was calling to him by name

Hope sprang into the lamb’s heart and he bleated as loud as he could, and soon the strong arm of the shepherd was lifting him up to safety

Holding the lamb in his arms close to the warmth of his body, the shepherd carried the lost sheep all the way back home, where gratefully the lamb snuggled next to his parents