Deep within the captivating rolling hills, resided a shepherd boy. His being was essentially pure, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was mainly to tend to his herd of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the whispering of the wind among the solo tree on the peak were his only companions. Day in day, guarding his responsibilities instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there were the occasional moments of isolation, read more when the shepherd boy would pine for company. During one such occasion out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plot.
Narratives of wolves hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the village. 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 sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but discovered no beast.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank continued for a few days more. But, one day, a real wolf actually come to prey the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the town only to receive a scolding on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.