In the heart of the mesmerizing rolling fields, resided a shepherd boy. His existence was mostly pure, and unsophisticated. His main role was essentially to care for his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the breezes through the single tree on the mountaintop were his only companions. Day upon day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
But, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. During one such occasion because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome plan.
Stories of wild beasts preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the village. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One morning he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills to help but saw no wolf.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank continued for a few more days. However, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he returned to the town only to receive a scolding on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has get more info been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.