At the center of the captivating rolling hills, dwelt a shepherd boy. His life was essentially unadulterated, simple, and honest. His main role was essentially to tend to his flock of ewes.
Their low murmuring and the whispering of the wind through the lone tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day upon day, watching over his here charges inculcated in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for companionship. In one such instance because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty scheme.
Tales of predators prowling on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One morning he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to help but found no wolf.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick persisted for a couple of more days. But, one noon, a real wolf actually come to prey the flock. The shepherd boy raced for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.