Number of words – 244

Occasionally, when an adult sheep has been killed by humans for food, a lamb remains that’s taken back to the camp for a pet. The lamb is fed and becomes somewhat tame. Others, over the generations receive the same treatment, and with the right genetic variations may lose some of their wild instincts in the presence of an assured food supply. And flocks of sheep provide an assured supply of mutton for the family. Another genetic change shows up in few sheep where the long stringy outer hairs decline, and the soft woolly under hairs become more prominent.

Now instead of simply using the skins for clothing, some inventive human uses a sharp stone knife to cut off the wool. Perhaps to make a softer bed for her infant. If the sheep that show this variation are segregated, succeeding generations can develop thicker, woollier coats. Eventually, the coat becomes so woolly that unshorn adult sheep cannot copulate. There’s too much wool in the way.

Only with the intervention of human shearing, is it possible to ensure the production of the next generation of the sheep. By this process, humans have grown dependent on the sheep for food and clothing; and sheep have grown dependent on the humans for food and sex. If you think anything’s been left out of this story, you should be able to add your own speculation.

Excerpted from ‘Children of Promotheus: A history of Science and Technology’ by James McLachlan