At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His life was essentially pure, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was mainly to look after his flock of ewes.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the wind among the lone tree on the peak were his only companions. Day in day, guarding his wards imbued in him a sense of calm satisfaction.
However, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. On one such day because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous scheme.
Narratives of wild beasts hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One morning he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills to offer here assistance but discovered nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This trick continued for a few more days. However, one day, a real wolf actually charge at the flock. The shepherd boy ran for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was anciently.