At the center of the mesmerizing rolling hills, resided a shepherd boy. His life was pure, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to care for his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes among the solo tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day after day, watching over his wards imbued in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. During one such occasion from sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plan.
Tales of wolves prowling on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy opted to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One day he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills to help but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This game laughed for a few days more. But, one morning, a real wolf actually come to prey the flock. The shepherd boy ran for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once lost, is difficult to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was website anciently.