Deep within the captivating rolling fields, lived a boy named Shepherd. His being was mostly untarnished, simple yet virtuous. His main role was to look after his flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes among the lone tree on the mountaintop were his main co-dwellers. Day in day, looking out for his responsibilities read more instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for companionship. On one such day because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plan.
Stories of predators preying on sheep had been heard times and again in the village. So, the boy decided to leveraged this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills to offer assistance but found no wolf.
The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick continued for a few days more. Yet, one day, a real wolf did come to prey the flock. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he returned to the town only to receive a scolding on honesty and the repercussions of dishonesty.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.