Deep within the mesmerizing rolling hills, dwelt a shepherd boy. His existence was mostly pure, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was mainly to look after his herd of rams.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring here of the wind through the solo tree on the peak were his constant companions. Day upon day, watching over his wards imbued in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. In one such instance because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous scheme.
Tales of predators hunting on sheep had been heard times and again in the village. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One day he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers rushed up the hills to offer assistance but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This game laughed for a few more days. However, one morning, a real wolf did attack the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could rescue only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to receive a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once violated, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was anciently.