Deep within the enchanting rolling fields, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His being was mostly unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His main role was essentially to care for his herd of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes through the lone tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day in day, watching over his responsibilities imbued in him a notion of tranquil contentment.
But, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for company. During one such occasion from sheer tedium, the shepherd boy orchestrated a troublesome plan.
Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a joke on the townsfolk.
One morning he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick continued for a few more days. But, one noon, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy ran for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But more info this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is hard to earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was then.