border collie

Overlooking the open, green and water-rich polder landscape lived Jannes the shepherd with his faithful black-and-white border collie, Ian.
Ian was no ordinary sheepdog. He was fast and smart, and he understood his owner even before he had finished speaking. Every morning the two set out together to guide the flock through quiet nature reserves, along historic ditch banks and over green dikes.

One late morning in early spring, as Jannes walked across the grounds with his leather hat on, his wild beard, his high leather shoes, and his forked shepherd’s staff, he saw that something was wrong. One of the sheep was missing.
He counted again and came to ninety-nine once more.
‘Come on, Ian,’ said Jannes. ‘Let’s look for her.’

Ian pricked up his ears and shot off, past bushes and ditches and across open meadows. They searched all afternoon, but the missing sheep was nowhere to be found. When the sun was already beginning to set, Jannes’ stomach started to rumble, and it was slowly becoming time to return to the stable, Ian suddenly stopped. He tilted his head slightly and sniffed the air. Then he shot off.
‘Wait for me!’ shouted Jannes.

Ian disappeared into the distance. Jannes hurried …