At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a shepherd boy. His being was essentially unadulterated, and unsophisticated. His primary duty was mainly to look after his herd of ewes.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the gales across the solo tree on the mountaintop were his constant associates. Day upon day, guarding his charges instilled in him a notion of calm satisfaction.
However, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would yearn for companionship. In one such instance because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plan.
Stories of wild beasts hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One morning he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The scared villagers rushed up the hills here to offer assistance but saw no beast.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This prank persisted for a couple of more days. Yet, one noon, a real wolf actually attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of crying wolf.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is tough to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.