Deep within the captivating rolling meadows, resided a young shepherd. His being was mostly pure, simple, and honest. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his herd of ewes.

Their soft bleating and the rustling of the breezes through the solo tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day upon day, looking out for his charges instilled in him a notion of tranquil contentment.

However, there were the occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. In one such instance out of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome plan.

Tales of wild beasts preying on sheep had been around for a while in the hamlet. So, the boy chose to exploit this fear read more and played a prank on the inhabitants.

One day he raced into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf preying on my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but saw no beast.

The boy giggled at the confusion on their faces. This prank continued for a few days more. But, one noon, a real wolf actually come to prey the flock. The shepherd boy raced for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.

Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Devastated, he went back to the village only to be met with a lesson on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.

The story of this shepherd boy has been handed 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 lost, is hard to regain. It's a story as relevant today as it was anciently.