©Copyright 2001 by Douglas Christian Larsen -- all rights reserved. Please feel free to use these stories in storytelling to children, or for bedtime reading, or for use in church or Vacation Bible School, or for simple entertainment purposes, but please do not rewrite, repackage or include for sale or resale in any form without express permission of the author (and he's pretty easy-going).
"Danger Lamb!" That's the way he thought of himself, but he didn't try to be naughty, and he didn't want to get in trouble, he was just the kind of sheep who liked to have adventures, and he loved fun, and in fact his whole young life was lived from one exciting moment to another! The older sheep didn't quite appreciate little Danger Lamb, and sometimes they didn't enjoy the pranks and jokes he played on the other sheep -- it seemed to them that Danger Lamb just loved trouble, and when the old folks talked about little Danger Lamb, they always said:
"Baa-aaaa-a-a-a-aaaad!"
Whether he was teasing Wolfgang, the one-eyed sheepdog until the poor old animal chased after little Danger Lamb, charging through the flock and knocking over many of the sheep; or playing hide and seek far too long, until all the sheep were terribly worried, thinking the naughty lamb was lost forever -- the little lamb seemed to start trouble wherever he went.
This is the story of one of Danger Lamb's most exciting adventures, of when he got the idea in his little lamb's head to visit the dangerous mountains, where the wolves lived! He knew better than to go to the mountains. He knew better than to leave the protection of the flock. His mother and father had told him many times about the danger of the wolves and how sheep could never go alone into the mountains. And sometimes the mountain wolves came down to the green grasses to have dinner -- but wolves don't eat grass like sheep do -- no, they like to eat meat. In fact, sometimes a wolf would come and take a sheep out for dinner, but the sheep never came back.
Danger Lamb wasn't afraid of wolves! No, not him! He would thump his hoof on his chest and shout: "If a wolf ever bites me, I'll just bite him right back!"
He thought he was very brave, but his parents and all the other older sheep knew better. Danger Lamb only said those things because he'd never seen a real wolf -- he had only seen Wolfgang the sheepdog, and Wolfgang was nice, lovable -- the old collie loved to wag his tail and lick the sheep. Danger Lamb had never heard the low, shaking growl of a hungry wolf. Or the terrible, frightening singsong howls of the pack.
On this day Danger Lamb decided he needed to visit the mountains, and he hid himself in a small group of bushes, his hooves over his mouth to muffle his giggles as Wolfgang drove the sheep from the pastures back toward the safe ranch where they all lived.
"Oh, I'm soooooo smart," Danger Lamb giggled, peeking out at his large family as they marched further and further away. When he could no longer hear Wolfgang barking, or the bells of the lead sheep tinkling, he finally emerged from his hiding place.
"Oh boy!" Danger Lamb laughed. "Now I can have some real fun!"
And he ran toward the mountains, far away. He laughed and scampered. He played and danced. He dashed to the lake and splashed his hooves in the water. He scampered into the forest and ran circles around the tall trees. And he climbed higher through the woods, and climbed, higher and higher into the mountains, away from the pastures, away from his family of sheep, away from Wolfgang the sheepdog, away from the safety of the friendly Shepherd, climbing higher and higher through the forest, and up into the dark mountains. Up into the mountains where no sheep had ever gone before.
Finally, completely pooped, he rested against a tree. And he noticed a few things as his little chest heaved up and down. First, he noticed he was out of breath, because he ran so far and for so long. Second, he noticed that his little tummy was growling, because it was a long time since he had his lunch of meadow grass. Third, he was shivering, because up her high in the mountains it was much cooler than down on the warm and sunny meadows.
And fourth, he thought there must be something wrong with his eyes, because it was getting hard to see things around him. He squinted and squinted -- maybe he needed glasses! Oh no! But then he realized it was hard to see because it was getting dark!
Danger Lamb looked around him in the growing darkness as the sun dropped behind the mountains, and Danger Lamb realized something he had not thought about all day. He had come so far, and had not paid attention to which way was which way, he had run so much, and laughed and giggled so much, that there was no way in the world he would ever be able to guess which way was his safe and warm home. Or where is Mama was, or his Papa, or Grandma and Grandpa or all his sisters and brothers and cousins -- or Wolfgang, or the friendly Shepherd!
Danger Lamb knew he was lost!
The little sheep picked himself up and peered into the darkness. Which way was down, and even which way was up? And which way was north, or south, or east or west? And why oh why wasn't his little wool coat warm enough to keep out all that cold that was creeping in? He felt tears building in his eyes, but he strengthened himself, and stuck out his chin. "I will not cry! I will not cry!" he told himself, and he made his little black hooves into fists. I will not cry! I will not cry!
But then he heard the noise.
It was like no noise he had ever, ever heard before. It was high and sad, but cold, colder than even the moon which was now peeking through the trees, and colder than the icy breeze which moved like fog beneath the trees. The noise seemed to cut right through Danger Lamb's little wool coat and like a grabbing hand it squeezed his little heart.
Danger Lamb, despite what he thought of himself, that he was the bravest little lamb to ever jump over a frog or chase a bird or hide from Wolfgang the sheepdog -- Danger Lamb was now terrified. And he forgot his promise to himself that he would not cry, and great quiet tears began to squeeze out of his eyes, and his little body shook as he huddled at the base of a great black tree. His breath broke out of his mouth in great shaking sobs, but he had to be quiet, he couldn't make a noise, because even though he had never heard that loud piercing night song before that he was hearing now, he knew what it was.
The cold noise that sang out over the night was the howling of wolves! If Danger Lamb had heard this noise at home, safely snuggled between Mama and Papa Sheep, with brave Wolfgang the sheepdog guarding the flock, with the friendly Shepherd close at hoof, he might have thought the sad singing voices were beautiful. But out here in the mountains, deep in the dark forest, with the cold and dark and strangeness of it all -- little Danger Lamb was more frightened than he had ever been in his life!
And another wolf voice sang high above the night, from far away, and another ghostly voice joined in, and another. It sounded like a choir singing from all over the forest.
Maybe if I make myself as small as possible, little Danger Lamb thought, the hungry wolves will not be able to find me. But as he shivered and shook, quivered and quaked, he thought it sounded like possible the voices were getting louder, which meant the wolves were getting closer!
Why was I so bad! Danger Lamb thought. Why didn't I listen to Mama? How come I didn't believe the older sheep when they told me I couldn't bite a wolf? If he wasn't so frightened, he would probably feel very silly for ever saying he could or would bite a wolf.
Please help me! Danger Lamb thought. Please, Shepherd, save me!
But he knew he was very far from home. He had zigged, and he had zagged, he had run about this bush, and dodged beneath those branches, around the lake and up and down hills, going in circles and dashing in straight lines. Nobody could ever find poor little Danger Lamb. But still he cried out, silently, with his little eyes clenched shut, and his little body quavering: "Please save me! I'm sorry! I will listen better! I will obey!"
He heard a low rumbling noise. It sounded like Wolfgang the sheepdog sounded if you teased him too much. Except it was deeper, and darker, and sounded much, much bigger than Wolfgang ever sounded! Poor little Danger Lamb's little heart nearly stopped underneath his little wool coat. Because this was a more terrible noise than even the howling -- it was the sound of a wolf growling, and very close by!
Danger Lamb peeked, and he saw a shape a little way off in the darkness. It was another animal, but surprisingly enough, the animal was not much bigger than himself! He peered and strained his eyes into the darkness, and sure enough, it seemed to be a puppy staring back at him! Maybe not a puppy, but a little wolf!
Then the low rumbling, grumbling noise started again, and peeking to the right side, Danger Lamb saw a quiet gray shape coming toward him. A wolf! And not a puppy, but a huge animal, and it was making the terrible growling noise. And then he peeked to the left, and there were two or three more shapes, approaching, coming closer and closer, and looking in front, here came many more silent gray shapes.
Little Danger Lamb clenched shut his eyes. He huddled down into even a smaller ball of shaking wool. Help me, he thought! But the only noise that came out of his mouth was a soft and shaking: "Baaaaaaa!" and then softer: "Baaa."
CRUNCH!
Oh my, what was that, thought Danger Lamb. What could it me? It was a very loud crunching noise, and suddenly all the many wolves quieted and all their terrible growling went away.
CRUNCH! There it was again! Even louder than before! What, oh what could it be? Danger Lamb gulped. Uh-oh. Maybe it was a . . . BEAR!
A bear! That would be even worse than a pack of wolves, wouldn't it?
CRUNCH! And then CRUNCH again. CRUNCH! CRUNCH-CRUNCH and then CRUNCH! Louder and louder the mighty noise grew.
CRUNCH! CRUNCH-crrrruuuuuuUUUUUUUUNCH!
Something grabbed Danger Lamb. Something big and strong! Maybe it was the mouth of a bear! Maybe the mouth of a giant wolf! Poor little Danger Lamb felt himself snatched off the ground and suddenly he was flying high up into the air.
He gulped. And opened his eyes. And he looked right into warm and happy eyes of his friend, the Good Shepherd!
"Here you are, my little lamb! I have looked for you everywhere!" the Good Shepherd said, his voice warm, and happy, and sweet.
Danger Lamb let out one little relieved "baaaaaaa!" and then he threw his hooves about the Good Shepherd's neck, he snuggled in close to the Good Shepherd's face, and kissed him several times, and finally nestled his little face against the Good Shepherd's warm and safe beard.
The Good Shepherd hugged the naughty little lamb close and soothed him by petting his wooly little back with His large and warm hand.
"Let's go home, my dear little friend," the Good Shepherd said.
But Danger Lamb was already fast asleep, safe in the arms of his friend and protector, his Savior, the Good Shepherd.
I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 (KJV)
Like a shepherd He pastures His flock: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in His bosom; gently He drives the mother sheep.
Isaiah 40:11 (The Tanakh)
For the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I myself shall take care of my flock and look after it. As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so shall I look after my sheep. I shall rescue them from wherever they have been scattered on the day of clouds and darkness.
Ezekiel 34:11-12 (New Jerusalem Bible)
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:25 (NIV)
For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
Matthew 18:11-12 (NKJ)
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Art et Amour Toujours
These stories were created for children and are best acted out, with drama, passion and a sense of fun & mystery. These are parables that teach deeper truths, but first and foremost they should entertain and keep the child's attention. At the end of each story are scriptures which support the story, enabling the parent to open scripture to young children.
