Deep within the captivating rolling hills, lived a boy named Shepherd. His existence was mostly unadulterated, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their gentle baas and the rustling of the wind among the solo tree on the peak were his main co-dwellers. Day upon day, looking out for his charges instilled in him a notion of calm satisfaction.
However, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a mischievous plan.
Narratives of wild beasts preying on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a trick on the villagers.
One morning he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The terrified villagers rushed up the hills to help but discovered no wolf.
The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick laughed for a few days more. But, one day, a real wolf did charge at the herd. The shepherd boy ran for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to be met with a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
The story of this shepherd boy has click here been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once broken, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as relevant today as it was in the past.