In the heart of the captivating rolling hills, dwelt a shepherd boy. His life was mostly pure, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was mainly to tend to his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the gales through the single tree on the mountaintop were his constant companions. Day after day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy orchestrated a troublesome plan.
Stories of wild beasts prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One morning he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but discovered no beast.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This trick persisted for a few days more. But, one noon, a real wolf did attack the flock. The shepherd boy raced for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the results of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is difficult to website regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.