At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His existence was mostly pure, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their gentle baas and the murmuring of the wind across the single tree on the hilltop were his main co-dwellers. Day upon day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
However, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plan.
Tales of predators hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One morning he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but saw no wolf.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This game continued for a few more days. Yet, one noon, a real wolf actually come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy raced for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could rescue here only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once lost, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.