Katie Fisher was excited. It was July 15 – The day of the animal auction. “Today I’m going to sell my lamb,” she thought.
Seventeen-years-old Katie lived on a farm in Madison County, Ohio. Every July there was an animal auction in Madison County. Children from farms all over the county brought their best animals to an arena. They sold their animals to the farmer who paid the highest price. “I hope I get a good price for my lamb,” Katie thought.
On the afternoon of the auction, Katie walked into centre of the arena with her lamb. People were a little surprised when they saw Katie. She had no hair. She had no hair because of chemotherapy. Katie had cancer. The chemotherapy had stopped the cancer, and Katie felt much better. But Katie’s parents have a lot of medical bill to pay. Katie wanted to sell her lamb and pay some of her medical bills.
The auctioneer decided to say a few words about Katie. “This young lady needs money for her medical bills,” The auctioneer said. “Let’s give her a good price for her lamb.” Then the auctioneer began the auction.
“Who’ll give me one dollar a pound for this lamb?” he began.
“One dollar!” a farmer said.
“I hear one dollar,” the auctioneer said. “Who’ll give me two dollars a pound?”
“Two dollars!” another farmer said.
“I hear two dollars,” the auctioneer continued. “Who’ll give me three dollars?”
The auctioneer continued to raise the price of the lamb, and the farmers continued to offer more money. Finally, Katie’s lamb sold for twelve dollars a pound.
Katie was happy. Lambs usually sold for two dollars a pound, but her lamb sold for twelve dollars a pound! She took her lamb to the farmer who bought it. The farmer paid Katie for the lamb and then said something surprising: “Keep the lamb,”
he told Katie. “Sell it again.”
Katie walked back into the centre of the arena with her lamb. Smiling, the auctioneer said, “Well, I guess I have to sell this lamb again.” A second farmer bought the lamb, this time for eight dollars a pound.
When the auctioneer sold the lamb for the second time, something amazing happened. The farm families in the arena began chanting, “Sell it again! Sell it again!” When Katie took her lamb to the second farmer, he paid her for the lamb. Then he smiled and said, “You heard the people. Keep the lamb. Sell it again.”
Katie walked back into the centre of the arena with her lamb, and the crowd cheered. The auctioneer sold Katie’s lamb again… and again… and again. Every time the auctioneer sold the lamb, the crowd chanted, “Sell it again! Sell it again!”
That afternoon the farmers of Madison County, Ohio, bought Katie’s lamb 36 times. All 36 farmers paid Katie, but not one farmer took the lamb. Katie went home with $16,000 – enough money to pay all her medical bills. She also went home with her lamb.
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