The Boy Who Cried Wolf: A Lesson in Truth
Once upon a time there was a shepherd in a village. He used to tend a flock of sheep in a nearby field. There was a thick forest next to the field. The shepherd was a great liar. He always got pleasure from cheating people with his lies. While tending sheep in the field, he often cried out, "Wolf, Wolf, help, help!”
The villagers, hearing his cries, would drop their work and rush to the field with sticks and tools to drive the wolf away. But each time they arrived, they found the shepherd laughing heartily. “There was no wolf,” he would say, “I was just joking!” The villagers were annoyed, but they forgave him, thinking he was just a mischievous boy.
This happened not once, but many times. The shepherd continued to lie, and the villagers grew tired of his tricks. They warned him, “One day, if a real wolf comes, no one will believe you.”
But the shepherd didn’t listen.
Then one day, as the sun began to set behind the hills, a real wolf crept out of the forest. Its eyes glowed and its teeth gleamed as it approached the flock. Terrified, the shepherd screamed, “Wolf! Wolf! Help! Please help!”
But this time, no one came.
The villagers, thinking it was another prank, stayed in their homes. The wolf attacked the sheep, scattering the flock and killing several. The shepherd ran to the village, crying and begging for help, but it was too late.
The villagers were saddened by the loss, but they reminded the shepherd, “No one believes a liar, even when he tells the truth.”
From that day on, the shepherd learned a hard lesson. He never lied again, and slowly, he earned back the trust of the villagers.