In the heart of the mesmerizing rolling hills, lived a shepherd boy. His existence was mostly untarnished, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was to care for his flock of ewes.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the wind through the lone tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day read more upon day, looking out for his responsibilities imbued in him a notion of tranquil contentment.
However, there were occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would long for company. In one such instance because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome scheme.
Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the village. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One afternoon he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills to help but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This game continued for a few days more. Yet, one day, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. 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. Devastated, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is hard to earn back. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.