True Service

The Orphaned Shepherd

Long ago, there lived a shepherd named Madhu. Orphaned at a young age, he spent all his time tending to the flock of sheep he owned.

The Village Fair

One day, Madhu decided to attend the village fair, leaving his sheep to graze in the forest. His friend, another shepherd, noticed his absence and called out, “Hello, where are you off to? Aren’t you going to graze your sheep?”

Madhu replied casually, “I’m off to the fair. As for my flock, they are grazing in the forest just fine. God will look after them.”

Theft and Disappointment

After Madhu departed, his friend went to the forest and stole twenty-five of the best sheep, taking them to his house. When Madhu returned from the fair and counted his sheep, he realized his loss and felt disillusioned about relying on God.

The Dogs

Determined to protect his flock, Madhu bought a pair of dogs. The seller advised him, “Friend, just give these dogs a few pieces of meat; that’s all they need.”

Trusting the seller’s words, Madhu neglected to feed the dogs properly. As a result, the dogs refused to guard the flock, allowing wolves to steal the sheep. The wolves took whatever they wanted, leaving only scraps for the hungry dogs.

A Wise Encounter

Worried about the ongoing loss of his sheep and feeling helpless, Madhu sat dejectedly at the foot of a tree. An old man hobbled along the road and, noticing Madhu’s sad demeanour, inquired about his troubles. Madhu shared his story of misfortune.

Advice from the Old Man

The old man laughed gently and said, “Boy, you must keep your dogs happy and content. Then they will serve you well. Feed them properly, and you won’t have any trouble.”

A Change of Heart

Taking the old man’s advice to heart, Madhu began to feed his dogs properly. Soon, they wagged their tails in appreciation for his kindness.

The Attack of the Wolves

One day, a pack of wolves returned to raid Madhu’s flock. But this time, the guard dogs bravely bared their teeth and warned the wolves, “Leave now, jungle cousins! Our master feeds us well and cares for us; we do not need your offerings.”

Ignoring the dogs’ warning, the wolves approached the flock. In response, the dogs attacked fiercely, inflicting severe injuries on the wolves.

A Happy Ending

From that day forward, Madhu experienced none of the troubles he once faced and lived happily with his flock, grateful for the lessons he had learned about responsibility and care.

“He enjoys much who is thankful for little; a grateful mind is both a great and a happy mind.” — Thomas Secher