At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, dwelt a boy named Shepherd. His existence was essentially untarnished, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was to look after his herd of ewes.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the breezes across the lone tree on the mountaintop were his constant companions. Day in day, looking out for his wards imbued in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would pine for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous plan.
Stories of wolves hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a joke on the inhabitants.
One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills to help but saw no wolf.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick continued for a few days more. However, one morning, a real wolf actually here come to prey the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy ran for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he returned to the village only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the results of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is difficult to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.