Deep within the mesmerizing rolling hills, lived a young shepherd. His existence was pure, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was essentially to care for his flock of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the wind across the lone tree on the hilltop were his main co-dwellers. Day website upon day, looking out for his responsibilities imbued in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
However, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous scheme.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy opted to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the inhabitants.
One afternoon he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but found no beast.
The boy chuckled at the puzzle on their faces. This trick laughed for a couple of more days. However, one noon, a real wolf did attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy raced for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the results of dishonesty.
The story of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was in the past.