In the heart of the enchanting rolling fields, dwelt a young shepherd. His existence was mostly unadulterated, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was to care for his flock of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the breezes through the single tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day upon day, guarding his wards inculcated in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. On one such day because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plot.
Narratives of wolves prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills for rescue but discovered no beast.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This prank continued for a few days more. But, one morning, a real wolf did come to prey the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back The shepherd boy story to the village only to receive a scolding on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
The 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 crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is difficult to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.