In the heart of the read more captivating rolling meadows, dwelt a young shepherd. His existence was essentially untarnished, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to tend to his herd of rams.
Their low murmuring and the whispering of the wind among the single tree on the mountaintop were his only associates. Day after day, looking out for his charges inculcated in him a notion of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome plan.
Narratives of wolves hunting on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One day he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but discovered no beast.
The boy chuckled at the puzzle on their faces. This game persisted for a few days more. Yet, one day, a real wolf actually attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.