The Big Sheep <kn>

As summer came to a close, the sheep travel down from the hill. They are glad to be home. But while they were in the field, the farmer had put in a new gate. Rose was too big to go past.

The other sheep tried to help. They push and they shove. But Rose is just too big to go in the gate.

One of the sheep says, 'I know what you can do. If you do yoga, you will get smaller. I do yoga, and I fit in the gate.'

'Keep at it!' says the yoga sheep, 'if you practice yoga each day, I know you will fit past the gate.'

The days were still so hot, you could cut them with a knife. Out in the heat, they would bend and reach.

It had been a week. Rose was hot and tired. But she was no smaller. She still could not fit past the gate.

Another sheep says, 'Come and run with me! I run each day, and I know that if you run too, you will get smaller, and you will fit in the gate.'

So Rose tried it. She ran and ran every day for a week. Back up the hill, around the field, even when the days were still so hot you could cut them with a knife. Rose ran for a week. She still could not fit past the gate.

When she stopped for a drink, she met another sheep friend. 'Come and swim!' says her friend, 'I swim each day. I know that if you swim each day, you will get smaller, and you will fit in the gate.'

So Rose swam.

Rose swam all week. It was very nice to get out of the heat that hung around at the end of summer. But she did not get any smaller and she would not go past the gate.

Then Rose had an idea. 'I know how I can get in the gate!' she said.

Tools would help her get past the gate.

At last she got to sleep in her bed.

'At last you got in! What did you do?' ask the sheep.

'Yes!' says Rose, 'I am fit, and I am well, but I am big. I made the gate fit me.'