Deep within the mesmerizing rolling fields, dwelt a shepherd boy. His being was mostly pure, simple yet virtuous. His main role was essentially to tend to his herd of rams.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the wind through the solo tree on the peak were his constant companions. Day in day, guarding his wards imbued in him a notion of quiet fulfillment.
Yet, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for companionship. During one such occasion from sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plot.
Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy chose to leveraged this fear and played a prank on the villagers.
One morning he dashed into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but found no beast.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This get more info prank continued for a few more days. But, one day, a real wolf did charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “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 sheep. Devastated, he returned to the village only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once lost, is tough to earn back. It's a story as relevant today as it was in the past.