Saturday Rave: The Sharp Grey Sheep.

The trouble with the story of Cinderella, as I'm sure you're already aware, is that it doesn't have any sheep in it.

Well, the story of The Sharp Grey Sheep sorts out that problem.



The Sharp Grey Sheep is a lovely Scottish tale in which the wicked stepmother makes her beautiful step-daughter work as a shepherdess.

The plan is that the step-daughter will starve to death, but the clever sheep foils the plot, hurray!

As if that wasn't enough to make a thoroughly satisfying story, there's a stepmother's daughter who not only acts as a spy but she has a literal eye in the back of her head. 

Being a Cinderella story, there are some gorgeous golden boots (you need stout footwear on the Scottish hills) and a handsome prince to provide a prosperous ending.

So there we are: The Sharp Grey Sheep has all the elements of a perfectly popular story.

Except possibly for a car chase. And an albino monk.

And possibly a few more shades of grey.

Word To Use Today: sheep. This word has been English for a long time. The Old English form was sceap.