At the get more info center of the enchanting rolling fields, lived a young shepherd. His being was essentially pure, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was mainly to care for his flock of rams.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the gales through the single tree on the peak were his main co-dwellers. Day upon day, watching over his wards imbued in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. During one such occasion from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a naughty plot.
Narratives of wolves prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the town. So, the boy decided to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One afternoon he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to help but discovered no beast.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This game persisted for a few days more. But, one noon, a real wolf actually attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.