The Story of Bhotey, the Shepherd Dog

In the highlands of Tibet, there lived a fierce yet disciplined dog named Bhotey. He was the Shepherd of a flock of sheep, watching over them day and night. Bhotey was usually silent and didn’t mind the sheep playing and fooling around, but them overstepping their boundaries wasn’t tolerated by him. It was said that Bhotey’s ancestors ruled those mountains and protected this innocent lineage of sheep for generations, and he carried their legacy with pride.

Silent but powerful, Bhotey often felt bored of this guard life. Whenever he saw monks heading towards bigger mountains, he wanted to join them too, but the oath he took in front of the mountain goddess always kept him bound.

The sheep, on the other hand, were intimidated by his presence. Sometimes they murmured among themselves. “Why must we live under the shadow of this tyrant? Why can’t we roam freely? We are the lambs of God, as free as the mountain wind.” But Bhotey’s sharp eyes and erect ears missed nothing. His deep growl was enough sound on the silent mountain to keep them in line, and if a sheep strayed too far from the flock, Bhotey would gallantly jump to bring them back.

On a full moon night, when Bhotey was sitting on his hill, continuously gazing at the sky, two sheep, Tashi and Pema, emboldened by the moonlight and their desire for freedom, planned to sneak out of the flock and try their luck to see the world.

“This is our chance, Bhotey seems hypnotized by the moonlight,” Tashi said, taking a step forward. “Right, the moon must be helping us break this chain of slavery,” Pema replied.

As they silently sneaked away, Bhotey remained quiet, his ears pricked up in alertness. With a quick growl in the background, a sleek and silent leopard had already crept towards the boundary, attacking Tashi before they could realize it.

Bhotey took a mighty leap from the top of his hill. With a thunderous roar, he threw himself between the predator and his flock. The sheep, huddled together, paralyzed by fear.

A fierce battle arose, but Bhotey’s strength and loyalty knew no bounds. He fought with every ounce of his being, determined to protect those he had always guarded. He knew he carried the legacy of the Mountain's protectors and the blessings of the Mountain Goddess.

“Bhote triumphed, but the victory came at a great cost. Gravely wounded, he lay on the ground, his breath growing shallow. The sheep, witnessing the scene in shock, gathered around him. Tashi stepped forward and asked, ‘Bhote, why did you fight for me when you knew I was trying to sneak out of the flock? We always thought you were a curse upon us, the tyrant who controlled and kept us from freedom.’

With a smile in between a labored breath, Bhote replied, “I am your guardian, not your ruler. It may seem that guardians control you, but a shepherd must have some authority over the flock to protect it. Evolution wasn’t a gift handed to us freely. We evolved because we had restrictions—restrictions that kept us together. True freedom is not the absence of boundaries, but the wisdom to understand their purpose.”

As Bhotey’s eyes began to close, the sheep realized what a leader they were losing just as they recognized him. They had mistaken his vigilance for tyranny, not understanding that his strength and authority were their shields against the lurking dangers of the wilderness.

"Who will protect us when you are gone?” Pema asked, tears falling from her eyes. "Go pray to the Mountain Goddess; she will send someone. As sheep, you need a shepherd. Life’s destinies pair us with whoever we need to learn from, at the moment to grow and evolve. It’s my time for a new journey I’ve long been waiting for.” With his last words, Bhotey’s eyelids gently closed.

The sheep, like children without guardians, stepped up to the mountain altar with heavy hearts and prayed, “As lambs of God, we rightfully ask for a guardian from the legacy that has protected us for generations.