Animal of the Week -- April 30, 2007

AOTW Ovis aries (domestic sheep)



The Japanese Poodle Fleece a poem by Peter Hayward age 28 and 3/4

In Japan, we were told, by the tabloid fold
that sheep are poorly known
And that a poodle would vend for a great many yen
If properly clipped and mown

Spotting a scam, an unscrupulous man,
reported the Sun and Express,
trimmed a woolly white sheep to have pom pom feet
for a Japanese star actress

For twelve-hundred pound she bought her hound
so she thought, so rare and so fine
But of the Pedigree Chum her dog would eat none
Since its tastes were distinctly ovine

The rogue we are told, went on and sold
Pets to geishas and makers of noodles
For each one in turn a tidy profit he'd earn
As he was passing off sheep as pet poodles

The fabled actress found her "dog" in distress
As long toenails impinged on its moves
When she went to the vet, a surprise he did get
"These are not claws, they are hooves!"

The papers report that the rogue was then caught
And put in a cell with a lock
Those who were duped, got back their loot
And the sheep were returned to the flock

But the next day it is stated the tale was fabricated
Not a word of the story was true
Never there was a sheep dressed as a dog
Not a ram, not a lamb, not a ewe

Even though it was fake, the story was great
Spreading grins from ear to ear
And if you're a dog or a sheep, expensive or cheap
They'll eat you both up in Korea

*I would like to say sorry for any racial stereotyping/myth propagation -- I hope no-one takes offence and sincerely apologise if you do*