In the heart of the check here captivating rolling meadows, resided a young shepherd. His being was essentially untarnished, simple, and honest. His main role was to look after his herd of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the gales among the solo tree on the peak were his only associates. Day after day, watching over his charges instilled in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plan.
Stories of predators preying on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One morning he dashed into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills to help but found no beast.
The boy chuckled at the confusion on their faces. This trick continued for a few days more. However, one noon, a real wolf actually attack the flock. The shepherd boy raced for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.