At the center of the enchanting rolling fields, resided a shepherd boy. His being was essentially pure, simple, and honest. His main role was essentially to care for his flock of rams.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes among the lone tree on the hilltop were his main companions. Day in day, guarding his wards imbued check here in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. During one such occasion out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome plot.
Stories of predators hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills for rescue but saw no beast.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This game continued for a few days more. Yet, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the herd. The shepherd boy raced for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the results of crying wolf.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is difficult to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.