In the heart of the enchanting rolling fields, resided a shepherd boy. His existence was pure, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was to care for his herd of rams.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the wind through the single tree on the mountaintop were his only companions. Day after day, looking out for his charges instilled in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. During one such occasion out of sheer tedium, click here the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plot.
Narratives of wolves preying on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One day he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills for rescue but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This trick laughed for a couple of more days. However, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the flock. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to receive a lesson on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is hard to earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.