At the center of the enchanting rolling fields, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His existence was pure, simple, and honest. His main role was essentially to look after his flock of rams.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the gales among the single tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day after day, watching over his wards instilled in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
However, there were occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. In one such instance from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome plan.
Tales of predators preying on sheep had long been circulating check here in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the townsfolk.
One afternoon he dashed into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but saw no beast.
The boy chuckled at the confusion on their faces. This game laughed for a few days more. Yet, one day, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy ran for help, screaming “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 flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.