Deep within the captivating rolling meadows, resided a boy named Shepherd. His being was untarnished, simple, and honest. His main role was essentially to look after his herd of sheep.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the gales among the lone tree on the mountaintop were his main companions. Day upon day, guarding his charges imbued in him a notion of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a naughty plan.
Tales of predators preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the village. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One day he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy chuckled at the confusion on their faces. This prank laughed for a few days more. However, one noon, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy ran for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no more info one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to receive a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down 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 lost, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was then.