9. Garibaldi and the Lost Lamb

One evening, in the year 1861, as General Joseph Garibaldi, the Italian patriot, fighting to make his beloved Italy free, united, and happy, was going to his headquarters, he met a Sardinian shepherd lamenting the loss of a lamb out of his flock. The great-hearted general at once returned to camp and announced to his officers his intention of scouring the mountains in search of the missing sheep. His soldiers, inspired by his tenderness on the field of peace as they had been by his valor on the field of battle, at once organized a grand expedition. Lanterns were brought and old officers of many a campaign started off full of enthusiasm to hunt for the lost lamb. But no lamb was found, and the soldiers returned to their beds in the camp. The next morning the servant of General Garibaldi found him in bed fast asleep. When he was awakened the general rubbed his eyes. And so did the servant, when he saw the old warrior bring the lost lamb from under the covering where it had been kept warm, and request him to carry it back in safety to the shepherd.

The man who had endured hardship and persecution, cold and hunger, nakedness and exile to make his native land free, had thought it a worthy task to keep up his search throughout the long night for the lost sheep until he had found it.