At the center of the mesmerizing rolling fields, lived a shepherd boy. His life was essentially unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to tend to his herd of sheep.
Their gentle baas and the murmuring of the breezes across the lone tree on the peak were his main companions. Day after day, looking out for his wards instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would yearn for companionship. During one such occasion out of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a naughty scheme.
Tales of predators preying on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy opted to leveraged this fear and played a joke on the townsfolk.
One day he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank persisted for a couple of more days. However, one noon, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy raced for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the village only to receive a reprimand on more info 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 dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is hard to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.