How Nikola the Ferryman Saved a Wet Flock of Sheep

Nikola was the ferryman of a rocky Balkan gorge, which is a deep place between rocky hills. He spent his days guiding a flat wooden raft over a wide, chilly river. Thick stone bridges stood far away, but the folk in the tiny hamlet nearby always used Nikola’s raft to move their goods. He was a gentle man who wore a large woolen cap. The villagers loved to gather in the village square to hear his funny stories.

One cloudy afternoon, a shepherd named Kosta arrived at the riverbank. Kosta had a large flock of sheep. The sheep were fluffy and white, like clouds resting on the hillside.

“Nikola!” Kosta called out. “Rain is coming! My sheep will get wet and cold. We must get them over the river right now!”

Nikola looked at the sky. Gray clouds rolled over the rocky peaks. “Yes,” Nikola agreed. “Rain is indeed coming. I will take five sheep over at a time. It is the safe way.”

“Five at a time?” Kosta cried. He stamped his foot. “That will take ten trips! That is too slow. We must take them all at once! It is a shortcut!”

Nikola stroked his chin. He liked to help. “All at once? That is fifty sheep. The raft will be very heavy.”

“We can do it if we are fast!” Kosta insisted. “We do not have time for rules today. We must hurry!”

Now, Nikola was a wise man, but he sometimes liked to show people their own foolishness by agreeing with them. So, he smiled and nodded. “Very well, Kosta. You are a clever shepherd. Let us load them all.”

They squeezed all fifty sheep onto the raft. The poor sheep were packed tightly. The raft sank deep into the cold water. The river lapped at Nikola’s boots.

“Now, pull the rope!” Kosta urged.

Nikola grabbed the thick guide rope. He pulled with all his might, but the raft was too heavy to move. He panted and gasped.

“This is still too slow!” Kosta shouted. “The first drops of rain are falling! Cut the guide rope! The river current is fast. It will sweep us to the other side in a second!”

Nikola looked at the thick rope. “If I cut the rope, we will have no way to steer.”

“We do not need to steer!” Kosta yelled. “We just need to go fast! Cut it!”

“You are the boss,” Nikola said with a sigh. He took his sharp knife and sliced the guide rope.

The raft shot forward. The river water bubbled and roared. The raft spun in circles. The sheep began to slide and splash.

“Help!” Kosta cried, holding onto a wooden post. “We are going too fast! We are missing the landing spot!”

Indeed, the raft swept right past the safe bank. It was heading straight toward the sharp rocks near the old stone bridge.

“Stop us!” Kosta screamed. “Grab the rope!”

“I cannot,” Nikola said calmly, holding up the short, cut piece of rope. “The rope is gone, just as you wanted. But look how fast we are going! We saved so much time!”

With a loud splash, the raft bumped into a muddy gravel bank. The sheep tumbled off into the shallow water. They scrambled onto the shore, wet and muddy, but safe. Kosta’s fine wool was covered in black mud.

Kosta stood on the bank, shivering and angry. “You silly ferryman! Why did you cut the rope?”

Nikola smiled his warm, dry smile. “My friend, you wanted the speed of a runaway horse but the safety of a rooted tree. I assumed that a man in such a hurry to go over the river would also be in a hurry to learn how to swim.”

Moral: True responsibility means doing things the right way, even when we are in a hurry.