The Fable of the Lambs

A farmer sold his flock of lambs at market, and they were put on a wagon and taken away to be slaughtered. But after travelling for some miles they became restless and started to bleat.

"Now, now, stop that bleating!" ordered a stoical lamb. "We will, doubtless, be allowed off in due course."

"Yeah, at the abattoir!" quipped a cynical lamb – who hadn't actually been among the bleaters, but had half a mind to join in.

"And there's no call for that sort of talk," snapped the stoical lamb, "we will not be panicked by rumour and hearsay. We are probably going to pastures new."

"Pastures new," cursed the cynical lamb. "Don't fool yourself – nobody ever went to market and lived to tell the tale. Either we escape, or else we've had it!"

At this the other lambs started bleating again.

"Oh really?" laughed the stoical lamb. "And whoever heard of a flock of lambs overpowering a wagon driver and making a bid for freedom?"

"The difficulty of the task has no bearing upon its necessity," countered the cynical lamb – who was something of a philosopher, and not all that cynical. "Any suggestions?" it cried. "Or do you all want to die?"

At this the other lambs began to panic and wail and beat their heads against the sides of the wagon.

"Calm yourselves!" ordered the stoical lamb. "Why all this talk of violence? We are in the hands of professionals – they know what they're doing! Pay no heed to the subversive prattle of this cynical lamb, he is an enemy of the market and preying upon your worst fears."

At this the lambs fell silent – for they were young and stupid, and very easily swayed.

Presently, the wagon came to a halt; the doors opened and a goat's face appeared outside.

"Are you guys ready?" it whispered. "Are you guys ready to run?"

"Well thank Christ for that!" sighed the cynical lamb. "My faith in artiodactyls is restored."

"Shut up!" snapped the goat – who was a Judas goat, in the pay of the slaughterhouse – "follow me, and don't make a sound . . . "

Moral: The difficulty of the task has no bearing upon its necessity.