At the center of the mesmerizing rolling fields, resided a young shepherd. His being was unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was mainly to care for his flock of rams.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes through the single tree on the peak were his only associates. Day after day, guarding his charges imbued in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous scheme.
Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to leveraged this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One afternoon he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills for rescue but saw no wolf.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This trick continued for a couple of more days. But, one noon, a real wolf did come to prey the flock. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
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 be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, click here the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.