At the center of the captivating rolling meadows, lived a boy named Shepherd. His existence was pure, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the breezes among the lone tree on the peak were his main co-dwellers. Day upon day, watching over his read more responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of tranquil contentment.
Yet, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. During one such occasion out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome scheme.
Stories of wolves hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy decided to exploit this fear and played a joke on the villagers.
One afternoon he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf that has taken my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills for rescue but found nothing threatening.
The boy laughed at the confusion on their faces. This prank laughed for a couple of more days. But, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town 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 significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the dangers of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is tough to regain. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.