At the center of the captivating rolling meadows, resided a young shepherd. His life was untarnished, simple, and honest. His primary duty was to care for his flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes among the solo tree on the hilltop were his only companions. Day in day, looking out for his charges imbued in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome plan.
Narratives of wild beasts preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One afternoon he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to help but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This game persisted for a few more days. Yet, one day, a real wolf did come get more info to prey the flock. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is hard to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.