Who is The Shepherd from A Tale of Three Kings and what is their importance?

The shepherd has many children. David is his last child, therefore he is often forgotten. The shepherd is not a bad man, however; he is simply a busy man. The shepherd sends David out into the fields to watch over the sheep and keep them safe from predators. David learns a great deal of things during that time that will help him later in his life. One of the things David learns is how to throw rocks in order to protect the sheep. Another thing is how to keep himself open to God and to commune with animals. These things will serve David well later in his life. Later, when the shepherd learns that David is destined to be a good king, he is proud of his son. The shepherd does all he can to help David prepare for this future.