In the heart of the captivating rolling fields, dwelt a shepherd boy. His being was essentially unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His main role was essentially to look after his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes among the single tree on the mountaintop were his constant co-dwellers. Day upon day, looking out for his charges instilled in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
However, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. In one such instance because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a naughty plot.
Tales of wild beasts hunting on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he dashed into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my read more sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but found nothing threatening.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This game laughed for a few days more. But, one day, a real wolf actually come to prey the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy ran for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is tough to regain. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.