Deep within the captivating rolling meadows, dwelt a shepherd boy. His being was unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was essentially to care for his flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the gales through the single tree on the hilltop were his main associates. Day upon day, guarding his responsibilities inculcated in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
However, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plot.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but discovered no beast.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This game persisted for a couple of more days. Yet, one noon, a real wolf actually come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy raced for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could rescue only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, check here it emphasizes how trust once violated, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.