Deep within the mesmerizing rolling hills, lived a shepherd boy. His life was essentially pure, simple, and honest. His primary duty was essentially to tend to his flock of ewes.

Their low murmuring and the whispering of the wind among the single tree on the mountaintop were his constant companions. Day in day, watching over his wards instilled in him a notion of tranquil contentment.

However, there were at times moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would pine for company. During one such occasion because of sheer monotony, the shepherd boy devised here a naughty plot.

Tales of predators prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the town. So, the boy opted to used this fear and played a trick on the inhabitants.

One morning he ran into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The frightened villagers ran up the hills to help but saw no wolf.

The boy laughed at the puzzle on their faces. This trick continued for a few more days. However, one morning, a real wolf actually charge at the flock. The shepherd boy raced for help, shouting “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.

Frustrated and alone, the boy battled against the wolf but could rescue only few of his sheep. Devastated, he went back to the village only to receive a reprimand on honesty and the consequences of crying wolf.

The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable for teaching the significance of honesty, the consequences of lying and the dangers of false alarms. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is difficult to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was anciently.