Narrative of the Young Shepherd

Deep within the mesmerizing rolling meadows, resided a shepherd boy. His life was essentially unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His only responsibility was essentially to look after his flock of sheep.

Their soft bleating and the murmuring of the gales through the single tree on the mountaintop were his only co-dwellers. Day upon day, watching over his responsibilities inculcated in him a feeling of calm satisfaction.

But, there were occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would long for fellowship. During one such occasion because of sheer tedium, the shepherd boy devised a troublesome scheme.

Stories of click here predators prowling on sheep had been around for a while in the village. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a joke on the villagers.

One day he dashed into the village screaming “Wolf! A wolf is attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers ran up the hills to offer assistance but saw nothing threatening.

The boy laughed at the confusion on their faces. This prank persisted for a few days more. But, one morning, a real wolf did attack the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy ran for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one came.

Frustrated and alone, the boy struggled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Heartbroken, he returned to the village only to receive a scolding on honesty and the results of crying wolf.

The story of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the importance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it stresses how trust once lost, is hard to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was in the past.