At the center of the captivating rolling meadows, resided a young shepherd. His life was essentially pure, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was essentially to care for his flock of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the gales among the lone tree on the mountaintop were his only associates. Day in day, watching over his responsibilities instilled in him a notion of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a naughty plan.
Narratives of wolves preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One morning he dashed into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to help but saw no beast.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick persisted for a couple of more days. Yet, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy ran for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but here managed to rescue only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as relevant today as it was in the past.