The bleating sheep that cannot leave the herd

Everybody in our family have endlessly complained about one black sheep. This sheep in our herd is very disturbing to the extent that even our young herd boys are considering to chain and leave her behind while the rest of the animals are grazing out in the plains far away from our homes.

The problem with this particular sheep is very worrying, every night she is the noisiest creature in our neighbourhood.

Every sunrise complains reach us that old men are unable to spend their nights peacefully. Wailing young children are unable to spend the night sucking the breasts of their mothers.

Everyday, the question our neighbours are asking is “what is all the bleating about” and we say as usual, it is the ‘black sheep’ that they have known for months now.

The most frightening thing for our family and our neighbours is that her blowing bleat attracts wild cats, hyenas and the lurking lions.

In fact several of our herds are missing and lost after hyenas attracted by the noise stormed into our boma.

Much to her own suffering, she lags behind always when the rest of the animals are coming home in the evening. In fact she is the last to arrive. So an extra herd boy should always remain behind with the ‘black sheep’ so that she can be safe to reach home at dusk.

Now we are in trouble because of this ‘black sheep’ that has taken over our bushy compound.

But to my father, this sheep is so important as well. It is the only high breed animal in our village, everyone admires because she produces the best of milk and young ones every breeding season.

She has been the apple of my father’s eye. Everyday when the animals arrive he has to count starting with the black sheep. So her absence to my father, a longtime Somali herder is like missing one of his eyes.

My father has personally received complains about the sheep so many times, but he does not take things seriously.

He is seemingly reluctant to bring solution to our herd and to address the complains of our  neighbours. Things are not coming clear to him as it appears to me and the rest of family.

I can no longer put up with our grueling neighbours. For members of our family, the black sheep has become an identity. When we walk around the village, we hear rumours behind our back. Bush boys call us all sorts of names including the family of the ‘bleating sheep’

I am the eldest son of my father, and as our pristine Somali culture dictates, I have the privilege to discuss and advice my father concerning our homestead.

Clearly this is a big menace in our family, and we need to get an urgent solution in this regard. I was thinking about slaughtering the sheep or selling it at the local livestock market in Wajir,  my pastoral hometown.

But before I share the problem of the black sheep with my father, I decided to think about the matter seriously.

I know of course my father is a very wise man, obviously he has all the reasons why he does not want to get rid of this troublesome animal.

I don’t want to see him over the issue unless when the time comes to be able convince him to eradicate the black sheep.

I am still thinking about why my father is not taking the matter seriously and why he is keeping this problematic 'black sheep' in our compound.

(Short story  developed by: Abdullahi Jamaa)