Flautopiccolo

7/12/26-7/16/26 
Minuteman loan became available right after finishing Three Bags Full.

First published in German under the title Garou. Copyright © 2010 by Leonie Swann. English translation Copyright © 2025 by Amy Bojang

DRAMATIS OVES 
MISS MAPLE—the cleverest sheep in the flock and maybe even the world 
MOPPLE THE WHALE—the fat memory sheep 
SIR RITCHFIELD—the old lead ram, still has the best eyes in the flock 
OTHELLO—the new lead ram, black, four-horned and determined 
THE WINTER LAMB—a young outsider in search of his name 
RAMESSES—a nervous young ram full of good ideas 
ZORA—a Blackface sheep with a weakness for the abyss 
HEATHER—an outspoken young sheep 
CLOUD—the woolliest sheep in the flock 
CORDELIA—an idealistic sheep 
MAUDE—has the best nose in the flock 
LANE—the fastest sheep with the longest legs for miles around 
MELMOTH—Ritchfield’s twin; difficult to forget 
WILLOW—the second most silent sheep in the flock 
?—The most silent sheep in the flock 
THE UNSHORN RAM—a shaggy stranger

DRAMATIS CAPRAE (just the first, most important one)
AUBREY-a little black goat bursting with mad ideas

Highlights:

The repeated telling of the story of The Silence of the Lambs had resulted in a few changes, and it had gained a little something each time. Cloud: And the mother ewes ate while the lambs rolled in the hay—and fell silent!

The latest meadow read is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Things happened in a wardrobe. There were fur coats in it— human coats with fur, what a ridiculous idea!—and a whole winter forest. How on earth did the forest fit inside the wardrobe? And now to top it all, somebody had turned up who was half goat. A faun. The very thought of it unsettled them. Nobody was only half goat! Nobody!

Heather telling the car a story: In a remote barn, there lived a poor, but noble family of cars. They were all fine cars, but the youngest car was the finest of all. It, err, was a particularly fine colour …
Maude suggested: White!
Zora, because the story ought to be a bit educational too: …and liked taking friendly flocks of sheep for rides!

Mum: If I didn’t believe in it at all, I wouldn’t be any good at it. And if I believed in it too much, I wouldn’t be any good at it either. You need to find a happy medium to be a happy medium. Ha!

Othello snorted. Nobody prowled around his meadow. Nobody!

Maple gingerly settled down, chewing on a blade of straw, and started speaking. The others listened. It was a complicated plan involving Lane, Heathcliff, a boob trap, limping, running, climbing—and a goat. At least one.

A short while later, a determined little sheep expedition was trotting into the forest following Rebecca’s and the Jackdaw’s tracks. Maude led the way with her good nose. Maude’s job was to scent out the humans—and any danger. Next was Lane, the bait sheep. Aubrey, who would climb a tree. Heathcliff gingerly carrying the boob trap in his mouth. Othello, the lead ram, to defend them if necessary. And bringing up the rear, shaking and quietly protesting, was Mopple the Whale. Mopple was their memory sheep again.

Heathcliff to Aubrey, who has just jumped into the back of the car as the sheep are leaving for the safe horse farm Don’t worry. It’s not that hard to be a sheep. I’ll show you what to do!