“It is incredibly humanlike…” This ‘Oscar-worthy’ 10-day-old lamb plays dead and wins the internet

In a quiet village in China, a tiny lamb has become an internet sensation, capturing the attention of millions. Unlike most viral stories, this one is simple yet captivating. A 10-day-old lamb has shown a unique talent: whenever someone approaches, it dramatically collapses and pretends to be dead. Videos of this unusual behaviour have spread across social media, making the little lamb an unexpected star.The story began on January 13 in Zhongfang Village, Baofeng Town, Pingluo County, Ningxia. Farmer Jin Xiaolin had taken four lambs to the local market for sale. Three were sold at the usual price of 420 yuan each, but the fourth caught everyone by surprise.According to the lamb’s owner, and as quoted by the South China Morning Post, every time a potential buyer tried to touch it, the lamb collapsed and lay still, appearing lifeless. Buyers, assuming it was sick, stepped back and refused to buy it. Yet, as soon as people walked away, the lamb quietly got up and acted normally. Jin noted that the lamb only seemed comfortable around children.Seeing the lamb’s unusual behaviour repeatedly, Jin chose not to sell it. “I decided to take it back home,” he said.As reported by the South China Morning Post, he described the lamb’s actions as remarkable. “It is incredibly humanlike. As soon as it sees someone coming, it lies down and pretends to be dead. People come every day just to see it; some even call to check on it.”Jin also shared his feelings about the animal, adding, “It is so adorable; how could I bear to sell it?”The lamb’s story went viral after one of Jin’s relatives posted a video online. The clips showed the lamb playing dead in different situations, then quietly standing up when people walked away.According to the report, the videos quickly spread across platforms, earning the lamb the nickname “voice-controlled internet-famous pretend-to-be-dead sheep from Ningxia.” The lamb’s popularity even brought financial offers. Some fans reportedly offered nearly 130,000 yuan to buy it. Despite this, Jin refused to sell, as per the report.He explained that he plans to use the lamb’s fame to promote local products such as lamb meat, goji berries, and eight-treasure tea.The lamb’s story has sparked debates online. Some people felt selling it would be better. As quoted by the South China Morning Post, one user said, “It is better to sell it. Anyone willing to spend 130,000 yuan on a lamb is unlikely to mistreat it and must be financially well-off. If it stays with the current family, who knows what will happen once it grows up, stops playing dead, and loses its cuteness?”Others argued that keeping the lamb was the right choice.“If someone paid 130,000 yuan for it, it is probably not for eating. The little lamb might actually get to keep its life,” one comment read.Another supporter added, “I would not want to sell it either. Even though I am poor, such a cute and intelligent lamb is worth far more than 130,000 yuan; even 230,000 would not convince me.”Adding a humorous touch, one netizen wrote, “This lamb is a born actor, truly an Oscar-worthy ‘Lamb Emperor.’”Thumb image: X/ @szdaily1