10 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



to build, to replenish the mother, the strong sons, the little 

 toddling children. Truly their flesh is grass. 



In another pasture I see white-fleeced sheep; I hear 

 the tinkle of their bells. Eagerly they nip the tender 

 grass and the budding clovers. Their lambs race on the 

 hill-slopes; a grave-faced man with stooping shoulders 

 walks among them, giving each ewe and each lamb a 

 searching glance. Under one arm he carries a dangling 

 lamb, one of new-born twins, wandered from their 

 mother. Presently he unites the little family and with 

 satisfaction sees the mother ewe own her lamb, and with 

 true maternal instinct proceed to fill it with milk. Its little 

 tail wags a joyous story; the shepherd smiles and goes on 

 his way. The pastures clothe mankind. 



The races of men who wear wool dominate the world. 

 The keeping of sheep has made characters so strong, so 

 brave, manly and true that they have changed the history 

 of the world. Moses keeping his father-in-law's flock on 

 the desert ranges of Midian dreamed there dreams, 

 gained strength, faith and persistent courage that enabled 

 him to lead the children of Israel from bondage to the 

 Promised Land. Young David, watching sheep on the hills 

 of Judea, gained strength, courage and farsighted wisdom 

 that led him to be the deliverer of his people, their great- 

 est king and singer. There is something that comes from 

 living amid pastures that makes men sane, patient, endur- 

 ing, imbued with deep love for their land and their 

 country. 



Carrying farther the thought of the influence of pas- 

 tures on, civilization, I see grazing on the hillside a mare 

 and a foal. While the sheep clothes and helps feed man- 



