But when the tale was ended the father shook his head . ` Give up these bad ways and take them back to your master , ' said he . ` No , no , ' answered the youth ; ' I am not so stupid as that ! We will kill them and have them for dinner . ' ` You will lose your life if you do , ' replied the father . ` Oh , I am not sure of that ! ' said the son , ` and , anyway , I will have my will for once . ' And he killed all the sheep and laid them on the grass . But he cut off the head of the ram which always led the flock and had bells round its horns . This he took back to the place where they should have been feeding , for here he had noticed a high rock , with a patch of green grass in the middle and two or three thick bushes growing on the edge . Up this rock he climbed with great difficulty , and fastened the ram 's head to the bushes with a cord , leaving only the tips of the horns with the bells visible . As there was a soft breeze blowing , the bushes to which the head was tied moved gently , and the bells rang . When all was done to his liking he hastened quickly back to his master . ` Where are the sheep ? ' asked the herdsman as the young man ran panting up the steps . ` Oh ! do n't speak of them , ' answered he . ` It is only by a miracle that I am here myself . ' ` Tell me at once what has happened , ' said the herdsman sternly . The youth began to sob , and stammered out : ` I -- I hardly know how to tell you !
They -- they -- they were so -- so troublesome -- that I could not manage them XXXXX all .
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