At the center of the enchanting rolling hills, resided a shepherd boy. His life was essentially pure, simple yet virtuous. His main role was essentially to tend to his herd of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the gales through the lone tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day after day, guarding his responsibilities instilled in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
But, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty scheme.
Tales of wolves hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One morning he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills to help but found no wolf.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This prank persisted for a couple of more days. However, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the flock. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, read more no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he returned to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.