At the center of the enchanting rolling meadows, lived a young shepherd. His existence was mostly untarnished, and unsophisticated. His only responsibility was mainly to care for his flock of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes across the single tree on the mountaintop were his constant companions. Day in day, guarding his wards imbued in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were at times moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty scheme.
Narratives of wild beasts preying on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One day he raced into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but discovered no beast.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This trick laughed for a few days more. However, one day, 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 fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his The shepherd boy story sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the results of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the value of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is hard to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.