Open Writing

Jacob and Portland are two breeds of sheep and they don’t get on. Farmer Jones didn’t know that. When he bought some Portlands at the market, he put both flocks in the same field.

“What the heck have we got here?” Bram Jacob asked his wife Sheila, “This won’t work”.

“It certainly won’t’ she said, ‘we spotted variety never did like those dirty Portlands, they’re more like pigs than sheep. Don’t talk to them.

He didn’t, in fact the whole flock ignored them.

This went on for a few days until Brian Portland thought he’d try to make friends with the Jacobs. He met Bram.

“Baa, Good morning” he said, with an accent Bram could hardly understand, “Nice Day? Baa”.

Bram went on eating.

“I wondered,’ went on Brian, ‘if you would care to join us in our part of the field - it’s very good pasture”.

Bram ignored him and eventually Brian withdrew. “What’s he want?” asked Sheila.

“To know my business’ said Bram, ‘I ignored him”. Sheila smiled. She knew Bram had done the right thing.

Brian returned to his wife, Eugenie and their three children and told her what had happened.

“Give it time’ she said, ‘and they’ll get used to us”. But Brian wasn’t convinced.

“It will be a long time before I try again” he said.

Now it so happened that Sheila was expecting a lamb and the day of delivery was getting nearer. She knew that Mr. Jones was keeping a very close eye on her because as soon as he saw the signs that a ewe was about to give birth, he’d take her out of the cold, misty field and into the warm, cosy barn.

Up to now Sheila hadn’t been moved to the barn and it worried her. She began to feel twinges that suggested the lamb was on its way. Then, to her horror, she saw Mr. Jones, and his family, get into the Range Rover and drive off.

“Goodness me!’ she thought to herself, ‘they’re going out for the evening and he hasn’t taken me into the barn – I can’t do this without him. Bram,’ she said, ‘I’m sure the lamb is coming and Mr. Jones has left the farm, you’ll have to take over”.

“Me?’ said Bram, ‘I can’t! I’d faint, you know I would!”

“Then what am I going to do?” Bram went to find his sister and explained the situation.

“Bram, I’m not a trained mid-wife. I’d be no more help than the farm cat!”

He moved on to Doris, an old ewe who was helpful with births in days gone by. She woke from her slumbers, but each time Bram attempted to explain the situation, she claimed not to be able to hear and promptly fell asleep. Perhaps she was deaf, he thought, after all, she was a very old sheep.

Bram returned to Sheila. She was lying on her back with her feet on her stomach and screaming, “I’m sure it’s coming – do something Bram!”

Meanwhile, in the Portland’s part of the field, Eugenie thought she heard a scream. “What was that?’ she said to Brian.

“I think it came from the Jacob’s half of the field but they wouldn’t thank you for poking your nose in” he warned.

“Maybe not’ said Eugenie as she made her way to the bottom half of the field, ‘but I think I ought to see if there’s a problem”.

“Can I help?” asked Eugenie as she approached Bram and Sheila. Bram ignored her but Eugenie saw in an instant what was wrong. “I have been in situations like this before’ she said ‘and I know what I’m doing”.

Sheila turned to her, and between the groans of lamb-birth, said, “I’d be so grateful”. Bram moved away and Eugenie got to work. She made Sheila comfortable, licked her clean, timed the contractions and at the right moments shouted “Push” or “You’re doing well Sheila” or “Not much longer”.

And then it happened. “It’s a ram”, shouted Eugenie. Then, a little later, “It’s a ewe” and a little later on, “It’s another ewe! Mr. Jacob, you are the father of three very beautiful and healthy lambs”. Then, she gave Sheila another wash, helped her to her feet and said, “There, all over”.

“Oh, thank you’ said Sheila in her weakened state, ‘I couldn’t have done it without you”.

“And neither could I” said Bram. He had entirely forgotten that the Jacobs didn’t get on with the Portlands.

As Eugenie made her way back to the top half of the field, the whole Jacob flock Baa-ed their gratitude.

The next morning a miracle happened. It wasn’t a matter of the Jacobs being at the bottom of the field and the Portlands at the top. They were all together. No longer were they concerned about how much they could eat or who belonged to which fold or who did or didn’t have patches on their back but they were all chatting, laughing and talking about what had happened the night before.

Two sheep dogs observed the scene. “How do you account for it?” one asked.

“Oh, simple’ said the other, ‘it’s all to do with forgetting the problems of difference and learning to love one another. It’s not always easy, but it works”.

When Farmer Jones started work that day, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Not only did he have three new, healthy lambs and two very proud parents but a very happy flock of sheep – one flock!

**
Matthew 5: 9; 1 Cor 13: 4 to 7