At the center of the enchanting rolling meadows, resided a shepherd boy. His being was essentially unadulterated, simple, and honest. His main role was essentially to care for his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and read more the whispering of the breezes among the solo tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day upon day, guarding his responsibilities imbued in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
However, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. In one such instance because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome scheme.
Tales of wild beasts prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the village. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a joke on the townsfolk.
One day he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but saw nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This game persisted for a few more days. But, one morning, a real wolf did come to prey the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is tough to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was in the past.