Deep within the captivating rolling fields, lived a shepherd boy. His life was mostly pure, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was mainly to look after his herd of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the breezes across the solo tree on the hilltop were his constant companions. Day upon day, looking out for his wards inculcated in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there click here were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. On one such day because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty scheme.
Stories of wolves prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One day he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to help but discovered no wolf.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This game continued for a few days more. Yet, one day, a real wolf did charge at the flock. The shepherd boy raced for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.