In my younger days as a child and then as a young adult, I spend every summer at my uncles farm. I loved the freedom of the farm, as well as, the farmwork. I helped with the care of the animals, the feeding of the dairy herd and the pigs, fed the chickens and gathered the eggs. shovelled my share of manure and drove the tractors during the harvest season. I had my share of funny and dangerous experiences, during those years so long ago.
I always tried to treat each animal on the fram with respect and gave the bulls a wide berth to avoid being injured. But one day I came really close to getting trampled by an angry bull.
But before I tell about that I need to tell you about "Curly Top." That was the name I gave to one cow in my uncles dairy herd. Curly Top, was a large white cow of whom for some reason liked me. It could be because I often scratched her curly fuzzy topped head and gave her choice tidbits of hay and grass to eat. Whatever, the reason she often befriended me out in the pasture when the other cows became jealous or mean, when I petted a calf.
On day I was sent out in the to bring the cows in for milking. They were all in the far back pasture munching away and pretended not to hear my uncles call. I never liked that job when the bull was out, because I was afraid of him. But this day I gritted my teeth and set out to herd the cows home. As I approached the herd I noticed the bull watching me, and so I hurried to put cows between us and started urging them all homeward to the barn. Coming up a slope in the pasture the cows started running and the gap between myself and the bull shortened and he saw the opening, and charged at me. I tried to move out of his way and get behind the only tree in the open field, but he was moving too fast and I was scared that he would really hurt me. But then Curly Top, appeared at my side and warded off the impact from the bull, intended for me. She walked by my side the whole way back to the barn and I stroked her neck letting her know I was thankful for her friendship. And of course she got a extra handful of sweet feed that night as a treat for saving my life.
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