Deep within the enchanting rolling meadows, resided a boy named Shepherd. His existence was essentially unadulterated, simple yet virtuous. His main role was mainly to look after his flock of sheep.

Their low murmuring and the murmuring of the gales among the single tree on the peak were his constant co-dwellers. Day in day, guarding his responsibilities inculcated in him a sense of tranquil contentment.

However, there were occasional moments of solitude, when the shepherd boy would yearn for fellowship. On one such day from sheer boredom, the shepherd boy conceived a mischievous plan.

Stories of predators hunting on sheep had been around for a while in the town. So, the boy opted to exploit this fear and played a joke on the villagers.

One afternoon he raced into the village screaming “Wolf! There is a wolf attacking my sheep!” The scared villagers sprinted up the hills to help but saw no wolf.

The boy chuckled at the dilemma on their faces. This game persisted for a few days more. Yet, one morning, a real wolf did charge at the grazing sheep. The shepherd boy ran 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 flock. Devastated, he went back to the town only to be met with a scolding on honesty and the consequences of false alarms.

The tale of this shepherd boy has been handed down generations as a mediaeval parable to teaching the significance of honesty, the implications of dishonesty and the risks of crying wolf. Moreover, it highlights how trust once violated, is tough to reclaim. It's a story as relevant today as it here was anciently.