At the center of the mesmerizing rolling fields, resided a shepherd boy. His life was essentially pure, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his flock of rams.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the breezes among the single tree on the hilltop were his main co-dwellers. Day upon day, looking read more out for his charges instilled in him a notion of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. In one such instance from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome plot.
Stories of predators prowling on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One morning he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to help but discovered no wolf.
The boy laughed at the confusion on their faces. This game laughed for a couple of more days. However, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the flock. The shepherd boy raced for help, 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 sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to receive a scolding on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is tough to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.