Deep within the mesmerizing rolling meadows, lived a boy named Shepherd. His life was essentially untarnished, simple, and honest. His only responsibility was to look after his herd of rams.

Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the wind across the lone tree on the hilltop were his only associates. Day in day, guarding his wards instilled in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.

Yet, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for company. During one such occasion out of sheer boredom, the shepherd boy orchestrated a mischievous plan.

Tales of wolves prowling on sheep had been heard times and again in the hamlet. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a joke on the villagers.

One day he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! A The shepherd boy story wolf is that has taken my sheep!” The frightened villagers sprinted up the hills for rescue but saw no beast.

The boy giggled at the dilemma on their faces. This trick laughed for a few days more. However, one day, a real wolf actually 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 struggled against the wolf but could protect only few of his flock. Heartbroken, he returned to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the consequences of dishonesty.

The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the risks of false alarms. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once broken, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as pertinent today as it was then.