At the center of the enchanting rolling hills, resided a boy named Shepherd. His being was mostly unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was essentially to look after his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes among the lone tree on the mountaintop were his constant companions. Day after day, guarding his responsibilities instilled in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
However, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for companionship. During one such occasion from sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty scheme.
Tales of wolves preying on sheep had been around for a while in the village. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One morning he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills for rescue but saw nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This game laughed for a couple of more days. But, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the herd. 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 here sheep. Devastated, he returned to the town only to receive a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is difficult to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was then.