Deep within the captivating rolling meadows, lived a shepherd boy. His being was essentially unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His main role was mainly to care for his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes through the single tree on the hilltop were his main companions. Day after day, guarding his wards inculcated in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. In one such instance from sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plot.
Narratives of wild beasts prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the hamlet. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The frightened 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 did attack the herd. The shepherd boy ran for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy read more battled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the village only to be met with a scolding 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 value of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.