Thomas and Alfred were two best friends. Whenever it got hot, they would take their cows up to a cool, green pasture in the mountains, usually staying there all summer. The work was easy but boring, consisting of tending cows all day and returning to their tiny hut at night for supper, garden work, and sleep.
One day, Thomas suggested making a life-size doll to use as a scarecrow. They both hated a farmer named Harold, so they decided to name the doll after him and make it look like him. They crafted it from straw, giving it a pointy nose and tiny eyes. Each day, they tied Harold to a pole in the garden to scare away birds, bringing him inside every night. Sometimes they would talk to it, with one asking "How's it going?" and the other replying in a weird voice, "Not good." When in a bad mood, they would curse at or kick the doll.
Later, while Thomas was venting his anger on Harold, Alfred swore he heard the doll grunt. "Did you hear that? Harold grunted!" "Impossible, he's just a sack of straw," Thomas replied. Though Alfred dismissed it, they both stopped talking to, kicking, or even touching the doll, leaving it neglected in a corner.
After a while, they decided there was nothing to fear—perhaps just bugs or rats in the straw—and returned to their old routine, even resuming their mistreatment.
One night, Alfred noticed something frightening. "It looks like Harold is growing." "I was thinking the same," Thomas answered. "Maybe it's just our imagination." The next morning, they saw Harold stand up, walk outside, climb onto the roof, and stay there all night. In the morning, it came down and stood in the pasture. Terrified, they decided to flee, taking their cows and heading down to the valley.
After going about a mile, they realized they had forgotten their milking stools. Unable to afford new ones, Alfred forced himself to go back. "I'll catch up with you later. You just keep moving." After walking a while, Thomas looked back at the hut. He did not see Alfred, but what he saw horrified him: Harold was on the roof, stretching out a bloody piece of flesh to dry in the sun.