Deep within the enchanting rolling meadows, resided a shepherd boy. His being was mostly unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His main role was mainly to look after his flock of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the breezes among the single tree on the hilltop were his main associates. Day upon day, looking out for his wards inculcated in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
However, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. On one such day because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plot.
Narratives of wolves prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the village. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but saw nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This game persisted for a few more days. Yet, one noon, a real wolf did attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy raced for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back to the village only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The tale of this shepherd boy has The shepherd boy story been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was anciently.