Deep within the enchanting rolling hills, dwelt a young shepherd. His life was essentially pure, simple, and honest. His main role was mainly to tend to his herd of ewes.
Their gentle baas and the murmuring of the gales across the single tree on the mountaintop were his constant associates. Day in day, guarding his charges inculcated in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
However, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. On one such day out of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome plan.
Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One afternoon he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but saw nothing threatening.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank persisted for a couple of more days. But, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. 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 The shepherd boy story but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he returned to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.