At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a shepherd boy. His being was unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the gales across the lone tree on the mountaintop were his constant associates. Day after day, guarding his charges instilled in him a sense check here of tranquil contentment.
But, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would long for company. On one such day because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous scheme.
Narratives of wild beasts prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a joke on the townsfolk.
One morning he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills for rescue but discovered no beast.
The boy chuckled at the confusion on their faces. This game persisted for a few more days. But, one morning, a real wolf actually come to prey the herd. The 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 rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the village only to receive a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.