Deep within the mesmerizing rolling meadows, dwelt a shepherd boy. His life was unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His main role was mainly to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the breezes through the single tree on the peak were his constant companions. Day in day, watching over his responsibilities imbued in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
However, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. In one such instance because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plot.
Narratives of wolves prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to leveraged this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One afternoon he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to help but found no beast.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This game laughed for a few more days. But, one noon, a real wolf did charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy ran for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back to the village only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been read more transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.