At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a boy named Shepherd. His being was mostly unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was essentially to tend to his flock of ewes.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the breezes across the single tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day after day, guarding his charges instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. more info During one such occasion because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plot.
Stories of wild beasts prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One morning he dashed into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but found nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank laughed for a few more days. However, one morning, a real wolf did come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “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 went back to the village only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is hard to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was anciently.