Sheep Wrangler
Among the Moorland Gnomes the title of Sheep Wrangler is one of utmost respect. To big-folk outsiders it may seem like a simple thing, but when you are no more than one and half feet tall, it becomes a thing of legend.
A sheep stampede is one of the most feared things on the Moorlands, a badly placed one can level property, and also kill and maim poor Gnomes caught in the path. A sheep wrangler is someone who has successfully diverted a sheep stampede from destroying homes and/or lives, the title can also be awarded posthumously, and sadly this is sometimes the case.
The title of Sheep Wrangler affords the bearer a certain celebrity status amongst the inhabitants of the Moorlands, and often the eternal gratitude of those whose livelehoods and lives had been saved. There is usually a feast held in the recipients honour, where they officially receive their title and usually receive gifts from those they have saved.
While the title commands a great deal of respect, it also confers the idea of absolute fearlessness combined with stupidity which are traits well known amongst the Moorland Gnomes to be the leading cause of death. This is because sheep wrangling entails jumping onto the back of the sheep at the front of the stampede, then, using whatever means available and necessary, try to turn the sheep onto a different heading. Since Sheep are known to follow the leader, this usually has the effect of redirecting the entire stampeded away from its original destination.
The next bit then entails either jumping off a stampeding sheep at the head of a flock of stampeding sheep, or hanging on untill whatever scared the sheep in the first place is suddenly forgotten about and they stop of their own accord. You may be beginning to see why this title isn't earned very often.
Those Gnomes who have died during the course of practising to earn the title of Sheep Wrangler merely earn themselves the title of Fool.
nice title. I particularly like that you thought about how the gnome size difference makes it hard for them to do something mundane like sheep farming.
Exactly. When you are smol, many things become much harder.