Deep within the enchanting rolling fields, resided a shepherd boy. His being was mostly untarnished, simple, and honest. His main role was essentially to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the wind through the solo tree on the peak were his only associates. Day in day, looking out for his charges inculcated in him a notion of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a naughty scheme.
Tales of wild beasts hunting on sheep had been heard times and again in the town. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a prank on the townsfolk.
One day he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but discovered no wolf.
The boy laughed at the confusion on their faces. This game persisted for a few more days. But, one noon, a real wolf actually charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
His tale more info of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as relevant today as it was in the past.