but the white ram yonder is still full of service a better i ve never known the white ram is stronger than the black though the black will turn from him and seek a ram of her own colour i ve known a white ram so ardent for a black that he fought the black ram till their cracked master it is well to listen to thee jacob interrupted the brook for none knows sheep like thee but as none will ever give me charge of a flock again thy teaching is wasted upon me look to the teeth jacob and to their see that the are sound master never before thou mock at me who am for my misfortunes the of all these fields in what have i done wrong that my are a bit tired is all thou hast to blame me for to day jacob not mocking at thee but looking forward a little for time is on thy side and will soon put thee in charge of a flock again time is on my side jacob repeated if i understand thee rightly master thy meaning is that the hills are beginning to weary thee look into my beard jacob and see how much grey hair is in it and my gait is slower than it used to be a has come upon me that will not wear out and my eyes are not as keen as they were and when i see in thee a wise shepherd between the spring and autumn it may be that our president at my advice will my flock to thy charge chapter xxx so thou that the autumn rains will make an end of him and maybe of thee too returned a hard life ours is even for the young ones hard bread by day and at night a bed of stones a hard life from the beginning one that doesn t grow softer and to end in a lion s at fifty is the best we can hope for for us perhaps answered but will go up to the among the rocks and die amongst the brethren reading the if the autumn rains don t make an end of him as if he did not like his of death to be called into question as i was saying a shepherd s life is a hard one and when the autumn rains make an end of him the brethren will be on the look out for another shepherd and there s not one amongst them that would bring half the flock to him into the fold at the end of the year the best of us lose sheep what with the flock will go to jacob the lad he s been training to follow him ever since his friend was killed remarked timidly and raised their eyes and looked at in surprise for a sensible remark from was an event and to their wonder they found themselves in agreement with the flock would go to jacob without doubt of course cried excited by the success of his last remark he be more than fifty thou put five years more to the fifty and not be far wrong interposed was minded to speak again but his elders looks made him feel that they the brook had heard him sufficiently now how many years dost thou make it since joseph of was killed how many years repeated i can t tell thee how many years but many years stay i can mark the date down for thee it was about ten years before wasn t that his name led the multitude over these hills a great riot that was surely � fires lighted at the side of the woods for the of our and many s the fine wood that was turned to blackened stems and sad ashes in those days it comes back to me now was the name i d forgotten it for the moment he led the multitude to and while he was bidding the waters divide to let him across the had his head off it was nigh ten years after that that s partner was killed in i believe thee to be right replied and they talked of the different and that were still the country stirring them up against the but cried suddenly the story comes back to me not getting any news of his friend left his flock with jacob and came down to the pass between the hills where the road to the lake to inquire from the beggars if they had seen s partner on his way to or and seeing the and beggars gathering about i came down to hear what was being said but before i got as far i saw turn away and walk into the hills it was from the beggars and that i heard that joseph had been killed in the streets of thou how long beggars take to tell a story was far away before they got to the end of it simple though it was i d have gone after him if they d been quicker more of the story i don t know it was just as thou mate answered and thou lt bear me out that it was some months after maybe six or seven that was seen again leading the flock i the brook remember the day i saw him for wasn t i near to rubbing my eyes lest they might be deceiving me � i remember continued it comes back to me as it does to thee for within two years he had gathered another handsome flock about him a fine shepherd said none better to be found on the hills thou well answered him and for thee to speak well twice in the same day is well nigh a miracle thou it awake one morning to find the is waiting for so great is thy advancement of late in good 