In the heart of the enchanting rolling hills, dwelt a young shepherd. His life was mostly unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was to care for his flock of rams.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the breezes among the lone tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day in day, watching over his charges imbued in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised a naughty scheme.
Tales of wild beasts hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the village. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One morning he dashed into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the confusion on their faces. This prank persisted for a couple of more days. But, one day, a real wolf did come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he read more returned to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The tale 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 stresses how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.