SHELBY THE UNIQUE SHEEP

When I woke up this morning I was green. I dont know how it

happened. I tried to cover it up with mud after PJ Pig said that would
work, but it just didnt work. I guess Ill be green the rest of my life.
alvin ow walked by and just stared at !helby for a few
minutes. alvin had never seen a green sheep before. "hen he said,
# "he answer is very simple...paint.$ #Paint%$ !helby asked.
#!ure,$ said alvin. I saw &armer 'ill painting the old red barn with
white paint last week. (ow the old barn looks good as new. Ill bet
that white paint would make you look good as new, too. )nd I know
just where &armer 'ill put the leftover paint.*
#+h alvin, "hats a terrific idea. Paint will make my wool white
again. Will you help me%$
#Well-I guess I can-but only so youll leave me alone. I want to eat
grass in the pasture in peace. #
#"hank you alvin, lets go,$
alvin led !helby to an old shack near the barn. .e went inside and
came back out carrying a can of white paint and a brush. alvin
opened the paint can, put the paintbrush in his mouth and began to
paint !helby. )fter what seemed like hours, alvin stepped back and
announced that he was finished and off he went toward the barn.
#/id it work%$ !he called to alvin as he walked off. 'ut he didnt
answer. .e was an0ious to get in the barn for he had noticed some
very dark clouds in the sky. )ll of a sudden it began to rain very
hard. !helby ran toward the barn, too. )fter she reached the barn
door she turned back to watch the rain. 'ut what she saw was a trail
of white paint. "he rain had washed the paint off of her wool. !he got
a sick feeling in her stomach. )nother idea that just didnt
work. !helby was still green.
!helby tiptoed back into the farthest corner of the barn, hoping that
no one else would see her. !he laid down in the dark corner. "here
was no hope. .ere is where she would spend the rest of her life,
hiding from the world. (o one would ever accept a green sheep, she
thought. .er thoughts were interrupted by a small rustling noise in a
nearby haystack. Was someone there% #It must just be the wind,$
!helby reasoned to herself. #What am I going to do% Ive tried so hard
to get rid of this green wool, but nothing seems to work.$ )s !helby
was thinking out loud, 1illie 1ouse was sitting very still in the
haystack listening intently to her friends sad words. )s !helby fell
asleep, 1illie went to work.
When !helby woke up to the cock2a2doodle2dooing of the 3andy
3ooster, she was surprised to see a big pile of green wool ne0t to
her. "here was a note at the top of the pile that read4
I hope this will help solve your problem. &rom 1illie.
!helby was confused. 1illie was a very shy mouse and hardly ever
left the barn. .ow did she know about my problem% "hen !helby
remembered hearing the rustling noise from the haystack last night
as she had been talking to herself about getting rid of her green
wool.
1illie must have been listening. With that !helby looked down at
herself. 1illie had gotten a pair of scissors and cut all of the green
wool off of !helby. "his is wonderful,, (o more green wool. &or the
ne0t few weeks !helby was happy again.
"hen something happened that !helby hadnt thought about. !he
was out in the pen with all her friends around her. !he reali5ed that
they were all looking at her strangely and snickering to themselves.
#Is something wrong%$ !helby asked nervously.
#What is happening to your wool !helby%$ asked one of the other
sheep. #It looks like it is growing in-green,$
#+h, no,$ !helby yelled in despair. utting off the wool didnt change
a thing. It was growing in green again.
+nce more !helby ran to the barn to hide in shame. .ow could she
ever go out again with 6377( wool% 'ut she didnt have long to
think about that. "he barn door opened with a creak-someone was
coming, )s the tall figure came closer and closer, !helby recogni5ed
it as &armer 'ill.
+h no, What would he think of her hiding in the barn% What would he
do when he discovered her green wool%
#Is that you !helby%$ )sked &armer 'ill with concern in his voice.
#8es$, she replied 9uietly. #.ow did you know where to find me%$
#:ets just say a little mouse told me that you were in the barn and
that you had a problem. Is there something I can help you with%$ he
asked kindly.
When !helby heard the kindness in his voice all her fears went
away. !he walked out of the corner and into the light where &armer
'ill could see her and her green wool.
#!helby, 8our wool is 6377(, Its '7);"I&;:,$
#What%$ !helby was shocked.
#Its great,$ &armer 'ill said. #We are all different, !helby. "hats what
makes each of us special and uni9ue.$
!helby thought for a moment. &armer 'ill was not mad at her. .e
wasnt ashamed of her. .e thought she was special-and at that
moment !helby reali5ed that he was right.
"he world would be a boring place if everyone was e0actly the
same. !helby was getting very e0cited about the thought of being
uni9ue.
#What should we do about my green wool%$ she asked. #Well sell it.$
&armer 'ill said triumphantly.
!o &armer 'ill and !helby went into the shearing shed and cut off the
green wool. &armer 'ill sent it to a large sweater company where
!helbys green wool was a huge success. !weaters made from her
wool became very popular and e0pensive. &rom then on, no one ever
made fun of !helbys green wool ever again
'eing different is special and being special is uni9ue.
Keri Schmidt-Early of Celina, Ohio wrote the story while in the eighth grade and won a local
writing award. Keri is now a Speech Pathologist in the Harlem, Illinois school district.
Gary Burbank is an award-winning radio broadcaster, formerly of WW radio !"## $%& in
Cincinnati, OH.