Deep within the mesmerizing rolling fields, dwelt a young shepherd. His life was untarnished, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was to look after his flock of rams.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the gales through the solo tree on the hilltop were his constant associates. Day after day, looking out for his charges inculcated in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plot.
Tales of wolves preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One morning he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This game continued for a couple of more days. Yet, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his flock. Heartbroken, here he went back to the village only to receive a scolding on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is hard to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.