At the center of the mesmerizing rolling hills, dwelt a young shepherd. His life was pure, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was to look after his flock of sheep.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the breezes through the solo tree on the mountaintop were his main companions. Day after day, guarding his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
Yet, there were at times moments of solitude, more info when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. In one such instance from sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous scheme.
Narratives of wolves prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One day he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills to help but discovered no beast.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This game laughed for a few more days. But, one morning, a real wolf actually attack the flock. The shepherd boy raced for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.