At the center of the enchanting rolling meadows, dwelt a young shepherd. His existence was untarnished, and unsophisticated. His main role was to look after his herd of ewes.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the gales among the single tree on the peak were his only here companions. Day in day, watching over his responsibilities inculcated in him a notion of calm satisfaction.
However, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. On one such day from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plan.
Narratives of wild beasts hunting 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 ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers rushed up the hills to help but discovered no beast.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick laughed for a few more days. However, one day, a real wolf actually attack the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he returned to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.