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The Goat That Made The Stars Sing

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By FRANCINE PROSE

When the world was very new "the
morning stars sang together" (Job
38:7). They don't sing anymore. This
legend tells us how the stars once
sang — and why they stopped.
Once there was a goat with
horns so long that they reached the
sky. Each night, he would gently
brush the heavens with his horns.
As he touched the stars, they began
to sing. And, each night, the people
were lulled to sleep by the mystical,
beautiful music of the stars.
One day, as the goat was
grazing in a field, he saw a young
man, angrily kicking stones in the
road. "What is the matter?" asked
the goat.
"I am terribly unhappy," replied
the man. "I have just lost my
snuffbox, and now I cannot carry
my tobacco with me from place to
place. What shall I do?"
But seeing the goat, the man
had an idea. "Pardon me," he said
politely. "Could I take a little bit of
your horn, so that I could use it to
carve myself a new snuffbox?"
"Of course," replied the goat
kindly, and lowered his horns until
they touched the ground.

At this, a little girl, who was
standing nearby, grew worried. "If
you cut any more from the goat's
horns," she said, "they will be too
short to reach the sky. And the stars
will not sing anymore."
"Do not worry," the villagers
told her, "each of us will take only a
small piece. Besides we must have
our snuffboxes."
They rushed off to look for the
magical goat. When they found him,
they crowded around, each begging

for a bit of horn.
The goat, who was too kind to
refuse, meekly lowered his head.
One by one, each villager cut off a
portion. No one cared that the
horns were indeed growing shorter
and shorter.

That night, the stars did not
sing. For the sad goat could not
brush the sky with his shortened
horns, no matter how hard he
tried. ❑

Questions:

1. Why could the poor goat no longer
make the stars sing?
2. Did it help matters at all that each
single person was only a little bit
blame?
3. Why couldn't the people have
listened to the little girl who
warned them?

Reprinted from Stories From Our
Living Past by Francine Prose.

Setting Goals For New Year

Continued from Page L-1

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e n c

The man took hold of one horn.
He knew that these were the
wonderful horns which made the
stars sing. But right now, he wanted
a snuffbox for his tobacco. So he
quickly cut off a bit of horn and ran
home.
As soon as the man finished
carving his snuffbox, he showed it
to his friends. "What a beautiful
snuffbox!" cried the villagers.
"Where did you get it?"
When the man told them about
the goat, they all became excited.
"Every one of us can have his own
snuffbox!" they cried. "Let us go
find the goat."

L-6

FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 1991

,

inattentive and ignore the
reflect back on the previous year.
Question 2: What are your
seriousness which attaches to his
Did it give you what you wanted, or
three biggest mistakes since last
every step? Shall he scatter
was it a year of aimless pursuits?
Rosh Hashanah?
thoughts, feelings, enjoyments,
Question 3: If (God forbid) you
Some questions to contemplate.
words and deeds with blind
knew that you would only live until
Write their answers on a paper and
recklessness like seeds in the
next Rosh Hashanah, what three
look at it next Rosh Hashanah to
bosom of the future, completely
things would you want to achieve?
see how you fared.
forgetting that the idlest thought
Question 1: What are your three
Rabbi Baars is with Aish HaTorah in
does not pass through his breast
biggest achievements since last
Los Angeles.
without leaving some trace, some
Rosh Hashanah?
result? Shall he play with his years,
months, days and hours without
reflecting that eternity belongs to
By JUDY SILBERG LOEBL
every moment? Shall he laugh at
the claim which the universe
A Sense of Shabbat by Faige teaching of the five senses with the
posesses on every one of his steps?
Kobre. A beautifully photographed uniqueness of Shabbat. Ages 2-6.
Shall he laugh at the future which
book on the special qualities of
From Head to Toe: A Book
he builds with every one of his
Shabbat through a child's five
About You by Yaffa Ganz. The
movements?"
senses. The story starts on Friday wonders of the human body from a
Life without thought is action
morning as a child polishes
Jewish perspective. Each part of the
without meaningful consequence.
candlesticks and sees the smooth,
body is described with a description
Thought brings real decisions. It's
shiny silver, and kneads the challah of why it is special.
the opportunity to decide where you
for Shabbat dinner. It concludes with
want to go, rather than being led to
the sounds, smells and tastes of
Compiled by Judy Silberg Loebl,
where the world wants you to go.
the Havdalah service. This book for
The Resource Center, Agency for
This Rosh Hashanah, take an
the young child combines the
Jewish Education.
honest moment for yourself and

'Healthy Minds, Bodies'