536- The Enraged Goat

Daniel observed that his son returned everyday from school enraged of his colleagues. He was always grumbling. Therefore, he told him the story of the enraged goat.

Once a farmer had a beautiful goat. He put a golden rattler around her neck. Conceitedly, she was jumping right and left that all people would hear the voice of the rattler and come and see her beauty. While jumping, the rattler leapt into a small thorny tree on a hill. The goat looked to the tree and asked him to throw to her the rattler.

“If you want it, climb the hill and take it.” The tree said. “I’ll not throw it to you.”

The goat was enraged and threatened the tree of taking revenge. She went to the saw, told him what had happened and asked him to cut the tree to avenge her.

“The tree is not mistaken. How can I cut him?” The saw replied. “Besides, I’m very old and I’m no longer sharp.”

The goat was again enraged and threatened the saw of taking revenge. She went to the fire, told her what had happened and asked him to burn the saw.

“How can I burn the saw?” The fire said. “ He’s right. He grew old and isn’t able to cut the tree.”

The goat was infuriated and threatened the fire of taking revenge. She then went to the water and asked him to quench the fire for revenge.

“Why do you easily get infuriated?” The water refused saying, “What sin had the fire committed?”

The goat was enraged and thought that all were against her. She went to the oxen and asked them to drink the water who refused to quench the fire. As the oxen heard the story, they said, “We’re not thirsty. Besides, the water didn’t wrong you so we’ll not drink the water.”

She threatened them. Then, she went to a wolf, told him the story and asked him to eat the oxen.

“O enraged goat, why do you stir me against the innocent oxen? If you don’t go away from me now, I’ll devour you.”

The goat fled very furious. She went to the gun asking him to avenge her and kill the wolf. The gun said that he did not have bullets and that he did not want to kill a wolf for refusing to eat the oxen. She hurried to the mouse asking him to gnaw the gun for, he refused to kill the wolf.

“The gun is made of metal and I can’t bite metals.” The mouse said.

The goat went furiously to the cat asking him to devour the mouse who refused to gnaw the gun. The cat looked to the goat and said,

“You’re always enraged. Many a time you wanted to kill me with your horns. I’ll not obey you.”

Finding no way-out, she went to the shepherd and told him what had happened. The shepherd said, “O angry goat, why didn’t you come to me to bring you the rattler? You made great enmity between you and all the creatures and also the inanimates. It’s my fault to leave you all daylong move here and there. Go to the barn.”

The shepherd locked the door and the goat was inside. He brought the rattler. Instead of putting around her neck, he hung it on the door so that if she tried to go out he would hear her and would not let her out for a long time. Thus, rage changed her freedom to a prison.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: الماعز الثائرة.

Let me O Lord blame myself on everything.

May I be enraged against myself and my sins and ignorance

Instead of being enraged against others.

Anger makes my life a dark prison.

It makes me lose my inner freedom and peace.

Great Success

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Long The Conqueror of Men