At the center of the enchanting rolling meadows, resided a young shepherd. His life was pure, simple yet virtuous. His main role was mainly to look after his herd of rams.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the wind across the single tree on the hilltop were his main companions. Day after day, watching over his wards instilled in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
However, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd The shepherd boy story boy conceived a mischievous plan.
Tales of predators prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but saw no wolf.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This game continued for a few days more. However, one day, a real wolf did come to prey the flock. The shepherd boy raced for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the town only to receive a lesson on honesty and the results of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is hard to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.