Deep within the enchanting rolling meadows, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His being was essentially unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was mainly to tend to his flock of rams.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the gales through the lone tree on the peak were his main co-dwellers. Day in day, watching over his responsibilities imbued in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. On one such day because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy orchestrated a troublesome plan.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers rushed up the hills to offer assistance but saw no wolf.
The boy chuckled at the puzzle on their faces. This trick continued for a couple of more days. Yet, one noon, a real wolf did come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy raced for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated here 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 reprimand on honesty and the results of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is difficult to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.