Deep within the enchanting rolling fields, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His being was essentially untarnished, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was mainly to look after his herd of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes through the lone tree on the mountaintop were his constant co-dwellers. Day in day, guarding his responsibilities instilled in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for company. During one such occasion because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plot.
Narratives of predators hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One morning he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but saw no beast.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This trick continued for a couple of more days. But, one morning, a real wolf did attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “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 town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The website story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.