Deep within the enchanting rolling fields, resided a boy named Shepherd. His existence was mostly untarnished, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to tend to his herd of rams.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the breezes through the single tree on the peak were his main associates. Day upon day, looking out for his charges imbued in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there here were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. On one such day because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome scheme.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One day he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the confusion on their faces. This game laughed for a few more days. However, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the flock. The shepherd boy ran for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to receive a scolding on honesty and the results of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.