At the center of the captivating rolling meadows, lived a boy named Shepherd. His existence was essentially untarnished, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was essentially to care for his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the gales across the solo tree on the peak were his only companions. Day after day, guarding his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
But, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a naughty plan.
Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had long been website circulating in the village. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One morning he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to help but saw no beast.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank laughed for a couple of more days. Yet, one morning, a real wolf did attack the herd. The shepherd boy ran for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to receive a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is hard to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.