At the center of the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a young shepherd. His life was essentially pure, simple, and honest. His primary duty was mainly to tend to his flock of ewes.
Their gentle baas and the murmuring of the breezes through the single tree on the hilltop were his main companions. Day after day, looking out for his responsibilities inculcated in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
However, there were the occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would yearn for companionship. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty scheme.
Narratives of wild beasts hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the town. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One afternoon he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills to offer assistance but saw no beast.
The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This trick persisted for a few more days. But, one day, a real wolf actually charge at the flock. The shepherd boy raced for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he returned to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching website the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is hard to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.