In the heart of the enchanting rolling hills, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His being was pure, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was essentially to look after his check here flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the breezes across the single tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day after day, watching over his charges inculcated in him a notion of tranquil contentment.
However, there were occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome plot.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One morning he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills to help but discovered no beast.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This prank laughed for a few more days. However, one day, a real wolf actually charge at the flock. The shepherd boy ran for help, screaming “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 flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once broken, is difficult to regain. It's a story as pertinent today as it was anciently.