In the heart of the enchanting rolling meadows, lived a young shepherd. His existence was mostly pure, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was to tend to his herd of ewes.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the breezes among the solo tree here on the mountaintop were his constant associates. Day after day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. On one such day because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous plan.
Narratives of wolves prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One afternoon he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers rushed up the hills to offer assistance but discovered no wolf.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This trick laughed for a couple of more days. Yet, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he returned to the village only to receive a lesson on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is hard to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.