At the center of the mesmerizing rolling fields, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His being was mostly pure, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was mainly to care for his flock of ewes.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the breezes across the single tree on the mountaintop were his check here constant associates. Day upon day, looking out for his responsibilities instilled in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
However, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. On one such day out of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome plot.
Narratives of wild beasts preying on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to leveraged this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One morning he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but saw no wolf.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This game persisted for a couple of more days. But, one day, a real wolf did attack the herd. The shepherd boy raced for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the results of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is hard to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was then.