At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, resided a shepherd boy. His life was pure, and unsophisticated. His main role was to tend to his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the wind through the solo tree on the mountaintop were his only companions. Day upon day, looking out for his responsibilities instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. In one such instance out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome scheme.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the village. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One day he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to help but discovered no wolf.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This prank laughed for a couple of more days. But, one morning, a real wolf did come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, The shepherd boy story no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is tough to regain. It's a story as pertinent today as it was anciently.