In the heart of the mesmerizing rolling hills, resided a boy named Shepherd. His being was essentially pure, simple, and honest. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his herd of rams.
Their soft bleating and the whispering of the wind through the solo tree on the hilltop were his main companions. Day in day, guarding his charges instilled in him a feeling of quiet fulfillment.
But, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plot.
Narratives of predators preying on sheep had long been circulating in the town. So, the boy chose to used this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One day he ran into the village yelling “Wolf! A wolf is preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but found no wolf.
The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This trick continued for a few days more. However, one morning, a real wolf did attack the flock. The shepherd boy dashed for help, screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But here this time, no one showed up.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to receive a scolding on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is tough to earn back. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.