Deep within the mesmerizing rolling hills, dwelt a shepherd read more boy. His life was mostly unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was mainly to look after his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the wind among the single tree on the hilltop were his constant associates. Day after day, guarding his charges inculcated in him a sense of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome plot.
Tales of wolves hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One afternoon he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers rushed up the hills to help but discovered no wolf.
The boy chuckled at the confusion on their faces. This trick laughed for a couple of more days. Yet, one day, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is difficult to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.