Foreword:
This fable represents mistrust resulting from lies. It is a popular fable numbered 210 in Perry Index (as 210. The Shepherd who cried "Wolf!" In Jest), and also popular as, 'The Boy who cried Wolf!'. This fable is the source to the idiom, "to cry wolf", to mean false alarms, and echoes a statement about liars attributed to Aristotle, "that when they speak truth they are not believed".
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There, once, was a mischievous shepherd boy.
Everyday, he tended his master's flock of sheep near a dark forest, not far from the village.
He took the sheep in the morning, kept an eye on them grazing the grassland, and gathered them back to return in the evening.
Most of the daytime, he had nothing much to do, and he took naps under the shade of trees. Whenever he woke up, he would sleepily count the sheep, and get back to his sleep.
As days passed by, he found the pasture life very dull and boring. It was lonely and uneventful. And, he had no means to amuse himself other than talk to his dog, or play with the shepherd's pipe.
One day, as he sat watching the sheep and the silence of the forest, he started wondering what he must do when a wolf arrives or attacks his flock of sheep.
And, he remembered how his master had instructed him to call for help, should a wolf attack the flock, and the villagers would drive the wolf away.
And so, he devised a plan to amuse himself.
Although, there was no wolf in sight, or even anything resembling a wolf, the shepherd boy called out, "Help! Help! Wolf!!!"
He merely wanted to see how the villagers would react, and make fun of it.
The villagers, alerted by his screams, dropped their respective works, and ran excitedly towards the pasture with sticks and stones.
When they reached near, they could find no wolf, and observed that the flock of sheep was undisturbed.
And, the shepherd boy laughed, "I fooled you! I fooled you! Ha. Ha. Ha."
Realizing that it was only a lie, the villagers got angry and told him, "This is not funny! We are busy people, tending to our works. And, this is no joke to play! Never do it again."
They left the boy be, and returned to the village, with the boy still amused at the theatrics.
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After a few days, out of boredom, he smiled at the thought how the villagers had come running, all panting and puffing, when he had played the practical joke on them.
And, he thought of repeating the mischief.
"Wolf! Wolf!", he screamed, "Help! Save my sheep! Help!!!"
Once again, the villagers heard his screams for help. And, they dropped their respective works, to run to his rescue, with sticks and stones.
When they reached the pasture, they were greeted with the shephers boy's laughter, with the flock of sheep undisturbed and no wolf in sight.
They immediately realized that they were lied upon, again.
The villagers were angry and disappointed, that their time and energy was wasted yet again.
"This may be funny for you, but it is not funny for us!", one of them said to him.
And another rebuked, "Don't ever do this again!"
"If you do, you will be soryy!", added another, threatening to beat him instead, if they did not find any danger, next time.
The shepherd boy, on the other hand, could hardly suppress his laughter, and relished the thought about how he had played the trick on the villagers again.
After a few days, as the shepherd boy rested in the shade of the trees, he was awakened by shrill calls of the sheep.
He jumped up to see a wolf had attacked the flock, and the sheep running berserk.
He had never seen a wolf before. His body trembled, and his voice choked in fear, as he stood witless, watching the ferocious wolf chasing the sheep.
Suddenly, he remembered that he is supposed to call for help.
"Woooolf!" he screamed, finally finding his voice and the courage to shout in the wolf's presence, "Help! Help!! Help!!! A wolf!"
And, he screamed for help, at the top of his lungs, "This a real wolf! Please help!", directed at the village.
Once again, the villagers heard his screams, but assuming he was playing a trick on them again, none of them paid heed to his cries.
"Let him yell, all he can!", the villagers said, "He won't fool us, this time!"
The villagers went about minding their own works, and the shepherd boy stood stranded without any help from tbe villagers.
There was nothing he could do to save his sheep, as he wept to watch the horrifying sight of the wolf pouncing on them, one after the other.
Moral:
A liar will not be believed, even when telling the truth.
Or,
He must be a very wise man, that knows the true bounds and measures of fooling.
Summary:
Every day, a shepherd boy tended his master's flock of sheep near a forest, not far from the village. He was bored of keeping a watch on the flock. One day, he devised a plan to get some attention and entertainment. All of a sudden, he screamed that a wolf had attacked the flock. Hearing his cries, the villagers ran to his rescue, only to be laughed upon. They did not like to be fooled, but they let the matter go. The shepherd boy, encouraged by the success of his plan, did it a few more times in different occassions. But one day, a wolf did attack the flock. The shepherd boy screamed for help, but the villagers ignored him. They thought he was only fooling around, like he did in previous occassions, and nobody came to his rescue.