At the center of the captivating rolling fields, lived a young shepherd. His being was mostly unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His main role was mainly to care for his herd of sheep.
Their low murmuring and the rustling of the gales through the single tree on the mountaintop were his constant associates. Day in day, looking out for his wards instilled in him a sense of tranquil contentment.
But, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. On one such day from sheer tedium, the shepherd boy orchestrated a naughty plan.
Stories of predators prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the village. So, the boy decided to leveraged this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One morning he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills for rescue but found nothing threatening.
The boy giggled at the puzzle on their faces. This trick persisted for a couple of more days. However, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the flock. The shepherd boy ran for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but read more could protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
The tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is difficult to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.