In the heart of the enchanting rolling meadows, lived a young shepherd. His life was mostly unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was essentially to tend to his herd of rams.
Their gentle baas and the whispering of the breezes among the solo tree on the peak were his only co-dwellers. Day in day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
However, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. On one such day from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a naughty plan.
Narratives of wild beasts preying on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.
One morning he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The frightened 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 days more. Yet, one day, a real wolf actually attack the herd. The shepherd boy raced for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could rescue only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back to the town only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is tough to regain. It's read more a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.