(Back to the main Heathen Fables page) THE GREEDY FAT RAM The flock of sheep left the relative safety of the area around the herder's house and spent the morning walking to a wide round hill where they often grazed on the thick tender grasses that grew there.  One fat ram barely kept up with the flock, waddling as he did, with his great belly swinging to and fro.  When they arrived at the grassy hill, the ewes, rams, and little lambs grazed in relative silence, carefully choosing the plants they knew tasted the best.  The fat ram was so greedy, that he would often push other sheep out of the way to get to an especially tender clump of green grass.  While other sheep would occasionally stop to chew their cud and properly digest their food, the fat ram gorged and gorged never stopping for anything. As the sun began go behind the hills and dusk approached, the flock of sheep turned toward home and began their trip back to the fields surrounding the herder's house.  But the fat ram was so busy grazing, that he hardly noticed they were gone.  Alone on the grassy hill, the fat ram continued to eat and eat.  He never even heard the wolves approaching.  While all the ewes, and rams, and little lambs rested safely near the herder's house, nine wolves gobbled up the greedy fat lamb for their evening meal. As it is with sheep, it is also with men...the foolish man never knows how much to eat. - Based on Stanza 21 of the Hávamál - (Back to the main Heathen Fables page)