The Story of the Shepherd Boy

In the heart of the captivating rolling fields, resided a young shepherd. His being was pure, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was mainly to tend to his flock of ewes.

Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes across the lone tree on the mountaintop were his only co-dwellers. Day after day, guarding his responsibilities inculcated in him a notion of tranquil contentment.

Yet, there were occasional moments of isolation, when the shepherd boy would read more pine for fellowship. On one such day out of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a naughty plan.

Stories of wild beasts hunting on sheep had long been circulating in the village. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a prank on the townsfolk.

One afternoon he ran into the village shouting “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills to help but found no wolf.

The boy chuckled at the confusion on their faces. This prank laughed for a couple of more days. But, one noon, a real wolf did come to prey the herd. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.

Frustrated and alone, the boy fought against the wolf but managed to protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he went back to the town only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the results of false alarms.

His tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once lost, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was then.