At the center of the mesmerizing rolling fields, resided a young shepherd. His existence was unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His primary duty was to look after his flock of rams.

Their soft bleating and the whispering of the gales among the single tree on the hilltop were his only co-dwellers. Day in day, looking out for his wards imbued in him a sense of tranquil contentment.

But, there were the occasional moments of loneliness, when the shepherd boy would yearn for company. During one such occasion from sheer monotony, the shepherd boy conceived a troublesome here plot.

Stories of wolves prowling on sheep had long been circulating in the town. So, the boy decided to used this fear and played a prank on the villagers.

One afternoon he dashed into the village shouting “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The terrified villagers ran up the hills for rescue but found nothing threatening.

The boy laughed at the dilemma on their faces. This prank laughed for a few days more. However, one day, a real wolf did charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy dashed for aid screaming “Wolf, Wolf!” But this time, no one responded.

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

The tale of this shepherd boy has been passed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it emphasizes how trust once violated, is difficult to reclaim. It's a story as appropriate today as it was then.