At the center of the captivating rolling fields, lived a young shepherd. His being was essentially pure, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to look after his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the breezes across the solo tree on the hilltop were his main co-dwellers. Day upon day, guarding his wards instilled in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. During one such occasion out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous plot.
Narratives of wild beasts preying on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One afternoon he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to help but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This prank continued for a few days more. However, one day, a real wolf did come to prey the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy ran for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is tough to click here earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.