The Goat Gift

The sun beat down on the woollen head cover over the child's head, steaming it and the damned goat wouldn't budge. It was a fat old goat that had wistful kind eyes.
He pulled the cord around its neck but it stuck its legs in the brick steps holding on.
He came near and tried grabbing it by the collar. The goat responded by head butting his hand away.
He rubbed his throbbing hand. "Listen goat, I'm not afraid of you. The elders are waiting for you to sacrifice you for the gods. Maybe that's not what you want but it's what I want. You are my gift so I can be betrothed. Do you want me to be lonely?"
The goat leapt back with great force and tore the rope from his little hand. Then noticing its success it turned around and ran down the steps with great speed.
He looked down the steps that went all the way back to the bottom of the mountain and his eyes welled with tears.
He began running after the goat. He could see it. It had left the steps and was running on a mountain slope.
He looked forward to where the goat was headed and began laughing. “So that was your plan. A patch of green weeds.”
Reaching the green patch where the goat was feeding he saw a strange bush. The bush began shaking and making a terrible noise and his goat ran off. “Bow before the great bush little one.”
The child prostrated on the ground. “Have mercy on me oh gods!”
Another child jumped out of the bush. “Now you will never marry my sister and she will stay with us!” He ran off.
A weight was lifted off of the child's chest. “Thank the gods!”