Deep within the enchanting rolling hills, dwelt a young shepherd. His life was mostly untarnished, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was mainly to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their gentle baas and get more info the whispering of the gales through the solo tree on the peak were his only companions. Day in day, watching over his responsibilities inculcated in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plot.
Narratives of wolves hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the town. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One afternoon he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but saw nothing threatening.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick laughed for a few more days. But, one noon, a real wolf actually charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is hard to regain. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.