In the heart of the captivating rolling fields, resided a young shepherd. His being was mostly untarnished, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was essentially to tend to his herd of rams.
Their gentle baas and the murmuring of the breezes through the solo tree on the peak were his only companions. Day upon day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. On one such day because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy orchestrated a troublesome scheme.
Stories of wolves hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy read more decided to exploit this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but saw no beast.
The boy chuckled at the puzzle on their faces. This game laughed for a few days more. But, one noon, a real wolf did charge at the herd. The shepherd boy raced for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.