Ravens Disembowel Lamb, Farmer Plots Revenge

A conspiracy of ravens killed a little speckled lamb on Tuesday, at the farm Skjaldfönn in the Westfjörds, Ísafjörður newssite BB.is reports.

According to farmer Indriði Aðalsteinsson, ravens often hang around the farm in the fall, anticipating the arrival of sheep who have been roaming the countryside over the summer. “Due to overeating and the unpleasantness that follows, the sheep will often lie down on their sides, sometimes ending up on their back,” Indriði says. The ravens will seize the opportunity, he continues, and have before you know it “plucked the eyes out of the helpess lamb or sheep, pecked a hole in its groin and pulled its intestines out to the field.”

On Tuesday morning, “these wretched creatures had killed a spotted  breeding ewe, and made a quick run for it as I approached,” said Indriði. “The lamb was dead, they had worked the stomach and ripped out so much entrails. There were two of them, the farm ravens, which I plan to shoot as soon as possible.”

Indriði told BB.is that there is no shortage vermin in the countryside, mice that ruin bales of hay and damage vehicles, minks that eat up all arctic char from rivers and prey on chicken coops, foxes that chase the ptarmigan year-round and attacks sheep, and, of course, the raven.

“The only thing I could do when [when I found the lamb] was silently curse the ravens and compose this poem,” farmer Indriði told BB.is in closing.

“The raven should be hanged or shot,
Hammered, stabbed and fought,
This is no fabrication,
The bird is an abomination,
With a history as ugly as black rot”

Original, in Icelandic

Hrafn á að hengja og skjóta,
höggva, stinga og brjóta.
Það er ekkert rugl,
þetta er andstyggðarfugl,
með söguna svarta og ljóta.