Deep within the mesmerizing rolling fields, dwelt a shepherd boy. His being was unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was to tend to his flock of rams.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes through the solo tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day in day, looking out for his charges inculcated in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plan.
Stories of wolves hunting on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One afternoon he ran here into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but discovered no beast.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This trick persisted for a couple of more days. However, one day, a real wolf actually attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is hard to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.