Shep's Hobby

LITERAL COMPREHENSION
James herriot, the narrator, was going to Mr. Bailes's place to see how his cow Rose was. She was suffering from stomach trouble of unknown nature. As the narrator was passing between the two walls, shep suddenly jumped and frightened him. He jumped up in to the air and his heart was beating violently. After giving the Lawage to the cow he wet to home. The next day he was passing through Mr. Bailes's field to see the farmer in the barn. The midday sun, the sweet breeze, the greenery and the solitude impressed Jemes very much. All of a sudden, the sky darkens and roared. It was Shep again. Jemes was so afraid that he almost evacuated (empty) his bowel (stomach). After giving some treacle to the cow, he came again the next day. Now he was happy to see rose all right. But it was the postman who had cured the cow by making her run. Then Jemes was lost in deep thought and solid his hand. To wash the hand as he was going to Mr.Bailes's kitchen, he was frightened again the dog. This time he was so angry that he punished the dog by scolding and threatening. When he comes to Mr. Bailes next time Shep did not frightened him and he was sorry because he had deprived the dog of its pleasure. But later when he found the dog frightening a tinker (pot maker), the speaker was happy.

INTERPRETATION
This story might be trying to tell us that any animal has the right to make fun and that there is not much different between dogs and men so far as recreation is concerned.

CRITICAL THINKING
This lovely animal story has some points which might be unacceptable. How could a postman cure the cow which a vet could not? Has a dog's sense of timing so perfect as to frighten the people? Is the story convincing enough? Perhaps we have raised such questions because we have not absence dogs as closely as a vet.

ASSIMILATION
This story has changed by attitudes to animals completely. Before I read this story, I would run away if a dog comes close to me. I would think that it had come to bite me. But now I think that it has come to play with me. Now I love a dog and want to make friend with it.