Deep within the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a boy named Shepherd. His life was untarnished, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was mainly to care for his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the breezes among the solo tree on the hilltop were his main co-dwellers. Day after day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for companionship. In one such instance out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy orchestrated a troublesome scheme.
Tales of wolves hunting on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One day he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but found no wolf.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This game laughed for a few days more. But, one day, a real wolf did come to prey the flock. The read more shepherd boy ran for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was in the past.