In the heart of the enchanting rolling meadows, resided a shepherd boy. His existence was essentially untarnished, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was to look after his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the wind across the solo tree on the peak were his only associates. Day in day, looking out for his charges instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. On one such day because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous scheme.
Tales of predators prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One afternoon he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers rushed up the hills to offer assistance but saw no wolf.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This trick laughed for a few days more. Yet, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the flock. The shepherd boy ran for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Devastated, he returned to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down read more generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once lost, is tough to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.