Deep within the enchanting rolling meadows, resided a young shepherd. His existence was mostly unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His main role was to tend to his flock of sheep.
Their soft bleating and the rustling of the wind among the solo tree on the hilltop were his constant co-dwellers. Day upon day, looking out for his wards imbued in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.
But, there were at times moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. In one such instance because of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous scheme.
Tales of predators hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear and played a trick on the townsfolk.
One morning he dashed into the village yelling “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers rushed up the hills to help but discovered no beast.
The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This trick laughed for a few days more. But, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.
Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the repercussions of false alarms.
His tale of this shepherd boy has been transmitted generations as a website mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the perils of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was then.