Deep within the captivating rolling fields, lived a shepherd boy. His existence was essentially unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was to care for his flock of ewes.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the gales through the single tree on the hilltop were his main companions. Day after day, looking out for his charges instilled in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plan.
Narratives of predators prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One afternoon he dashed into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to help but saw nothing threatening.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This trick persisted for a few days more. Yet, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the herd. The shepherd boy ran for help, screaming “Wolf, click here Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is tough to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.