Deep within the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a shepherd boy. His life was pure, simple, and honest. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his flock of ewes.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the wind among the single tree on the peak were his constant companions. Day upon day, watching over his responsibilities instilled in him a feeling read more of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a naughty plan.
Narratives of wolves preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One morning he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers rushed up the hills to offer assistance but saw nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This prank continued for a few more days. But, one noon, a real wolf actually attack the herd. The shepherd boy ran for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.