In the heart of the captivating rolling hills, lived a young shepherd. His life was essentially pure, and unsophisticated. His main role was to look after his flock of rams.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the wind among the single tree on the mountaintop were his only associates. Day upon day, guarding his responsibilities inculcated in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
But, there were occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous plot.
Stories of wild beasts preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a joke on the townsfolk.
One day he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but saw no wolf.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank continued for a few days more. Yet, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the results of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as read more a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.