At the center of the captivating rolling fields, resided a shepherd boy. His existence was essentially unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was mainly to care for his herd of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes across the solo tree on the peak were his constant companions. Day upon day, watching over his charges inculcated in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for company. In one such instance from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous plan.
Stories of predators hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One morning he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but discovered no beast.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This game persisted for a few more days. But, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he returned to the village only to receive a scolding on honesty and website the repercussions of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.