The old man and the sheep

One day in late autumn, the weather turned cold gradually, and a thin layer of frost formed on the window in the morning. The old man went outside, took some hay from the haystack and spread it in the sheepfold. There is only one old sheep in the sheepfold. A few years ago, it fell into a ditch and limped a leg. The old man also wanted to raise a flock of lambs, but he gave up the idea when he found that his legs and feet didn't work. The children of the elderly work outside the home and come back for the New Year once a year. At this time, old people talk to people the most. Usually, he talks to the old sheep. After laying hay in the sheepfold, the old man took a Mazar and sat in the sheepfold, stroking the wool with his hand. The old sheep nest in the sheepfold, with their eyes closed, and seem to enjoy such "service". The old man speaks a local dialect and his voice is hoarse. After talking for a while, he stopped, closed his eyes and sat there quietly. After a while, I opened my eyes and started talking to the sheep there again. When the old man speaks, the sheep sometimes bleat. The old man didn't know what it was barking, but he let it bark.

When sheep get old, they will get sicker. Every time the old sheep gets sick, the old man puts the sheep on his tricycle and takes it to the town vet. Veterinarians have told him many times that if the sheep is old like this, he will sell it for money or kill it to have a good meal. The old man was silent every time, but the old sheep was still ill, so he rode a tricycle to see the old sheep.

Winter came, it was snowing outside, and the earth was dyed white. This winter is colder than usual. Seeing that the Chinese New Year is coming, all families have started to kill pigs and chickens, and the wanderers from other places have also returned. The old man's children also came back, and a group of their children. The old man is very happy. He talked with his children about their lives in other places and let them work hard outside. Their health is still very good, don't worry. The old man still wants to talk to the children, but the children can't understand his strong dialect. Gradually, he gave up talking to the children and just sat on the Mazar and watched the children play. On the last day when the children stayed at home, the old man planned to go out and buy some toys for the children. When he came back, the sheepfold was empty and the yard smelled of meat. The children each took a bowl and greedily drank delicious broth. When the eldest son saw his father coming back, he said, "Dad, come and have some soup. Although the sheep are old, the soup is quite fresh. " When the old man shook his hand, his toys were scattered on the ground. The old man didn't respond, went back to the house trembling, lay in bed, and then got bedridden.

After a while, the old man died.