It happened in the long ago, or the not so long ago, that a plague of ravenous wolves bedeviled the sheep herds.  The sheep ranchers, at their wits' end as to what to do about the wolves, decided to hire a Master Shepherd to protect the flocks.
    At first, this solution seemed to be working out well, but before long, the ranchers noticed that their losses were increasing rather than declining.  Some ranchers lost their entire flocks, and with them, everything else they owned.  Others were barely hanging on.  The ranchers therefore approached the Master Shepherd to ask what the problem was.
    "Master Shepherd," they began, "what gives?  We hired you to preserve our flocks from the wolves, and yet our flocks are diminishing, and the wolves seem to be thriving as never before."
    "These are hard economic times," said the Master Shepherd.  "I have had to take decisive and creative actions to preserve such flocks as there are."
    "What sort of actions are you talking about?" asked the ranchers.
    "I have had to give Sheep Incentives to the wolves," said the Master Shepherd.  "You are mighty lucky you hired me!"
    "Sheep Incentives?  To the wolves?" sputtered the ranchers.  "That can't mean what it sounds like."
    "Certainly not!" said the Master Shepherd reassuringly.  "It means that I give sheep to the wolves."
    "Oh!" said the ranchers.  "That's exactly what it sounded like.  Why are you doing that?"
    "Why, to make them stay, of course!" said the Master Shepherd.  "Wolves are vital to the economy and the environment.  They keep down the sheep competitors, like rabbits and deer and things.  If there are too many of those things, no one will want mutton.  You won't be able to sell your sheep!  I give the wolves sheep so that they don't go away and fuel the economies of your competitors.  Dang, it's a good thing you found me!"
    "Well, maybe," faltered the ranchers, "but we're still having a little trouble with the concept.  For one thing, we mostly sell wool, not mutton."
    "Did I say mutton?  Well, that is true, too, but the wolves also eat llamas and alpacas and things.  And scare away cotton growers.  And they give me a great big kickback in return.  Let me put it this way," said the Master Shepherd.  "In these difficult times, a healthy wolf climate is critical for sheep ranching to prosper.  Right now, the sheep competitors are scarce, but that is a temporary situation.  We need to do the Sheep Incentives now to establish that healthy wolf climate for the future."
    "Oh, ok," said the ranchers.  "That explains a lot.  But we still have a problem.  Some of us are going bankrupt, and others are on the way.  What are we supposed to do in the meantime, while we're waiting for the healthy wolves to do their magic?"
    "I call on all of you to give of yourselves and your flocks to help your less fortunate neighbors," said the Master Shepherd.
    "How about if you stop giving our sheep away to the wolves?" suggested one rancher.
    "What a selfish thing to suggest!" fumed the Master Shepherd, shocked.
    "Selfish, selfish," mumbled the other ranchers.
    "Well, how about if you pitch in with some of that kickback you were talking about?" persisted the selfish rancher.
    "So, you're too selfish to help your neighbors?" feinted the Master Shepherd.
    "Fie, fie!" said the other ranchers.
    "How could you ever have managed without me?" said the Master Shepherd.