1

Wuf, wuf! How do you do? I am Sam the sheep- dog. Perhaps you would like me to tell you a little about my life.

My master keeps quite a large number of sheep on his farm. Sometimes he has four hundred in his flock; sometimes he has nearly twice as many.

Most days, my work is quite easy. Perhaps I help my master to drive some sheep from one field to another. Quite often, we walk to market, sometimes to buy sheep, sometimes to sell them.

Sheep are very silly animals; they never know what their shepherd wishes them to do. It is my task to drive the flock along the road, and to make a way for motor- cars when they wish to pass.

2

My hardest work is in winter, when snow-storms sweep over the hills and snow covers the fields. Then the sheep on the hill- sides are in great danger.

My master and I have to bring all our sheep together into some safe place for shelter.

It may happen that some of the sheep are quite covered by the deep snow before we can reach them. Then I have to search for the hidden animals.

When I have found where a sheep is hidden, I set to work as hard as I can, digging away the snow with my front paws.

My master helps with a spade, and soon he is able to pull out the poor animal by the head.

Sometimes the sheep is nearly dead with cold and fright, but my master’s kind care soon makes it well again.

3

My master says that I am the best sheep-dog that he has ever had. This morning a farmer wished to buy me from him for fourteen pounds. Shall I tell you what my master said?

‘What! Buy Sam from me for four-teen pounds! No, not for fourteen hundred pounds! I might sell my sheep and my farm, but not Sam.’

How my tail wagged when I heard that! Would your tail not have wagged too?