Every day, the farmer counts his goats on the besieged farm.
He says he counts them to guard against the dogs
that lurk, ready to strike.
He swears he’ll fight for them all
if danger comes back to the farm.

But one howling night, beneath a sky of stars,
a daring goat slips free,
drawn by dreams of endless green pastures.
At dawn, the farmer finds her and puts her down.

He gathers the flock,
and with a calm, steady voice, he says:
“If I did not kill her, the dogs would.
Dogs are dangerous. I kept her safe,
as I am keeping you safe. And myself.

“The stray goat would’ve led the dogs here, to our farm.
The stray goat was pure evil. She had to go.”