The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between the hills, there lived a shepherd boy. Every day, he would take the village sheep to graze on the lush green pastures. Although the meadows were beautiful, the boy often felt bored and lonely. The only sound he heard was the bleating of the sheep and the rustling of the wind through the trees.

 

One day, in an attempt to entertain himself, the boy had an idea. “What if I pretend a wolf is attacking the sheep? It would be fun to see the villagers running to help me!” So, the boy climbed up a rock and shouted, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” The villagers, who were busy with their daily work, heard his cries and rushed to the pasture to help the boy. But when they arrived, they saw no wolf and realized the boy had tricked them. The boy laughed and laughed, enjoying the commotion he had caused.

 

Question: Why do you think the boy cried “Wolf” even though there wasn’t any danger?

 

A few days later, the boy was bored again and decided to play the same trick. He shouted, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” Once more, the villagers dropped everything and ran to the pasture. But when they got there, they found the sheep peacefully grazing and no wolf in sight. The boy laughed even harder this time.

 

The villagers were not amused. They warned the boy, “Don’t cry wolf when there’s no danger. One day, we may not believe you when you really need help.”

 

Question: How do you think the villagers felt when they found out the boy was lying again?

 

One evening, just as the sun was setting, a real wolf appeared from the forest. It crept towards the sheep, ready to pounce. Terrified, the boy shouted, “Wolf! Wolf! Please help, the wolf is chasing the sheep!” But this time, the villagers didn’t believe him. They thought it was just another trick, and no one came to help.

The boy watched in horror as the wolf attacked the sheep. He realized that because of his lies, no one would come to his aid when he needed them the most.

 

Question: What do you think the boy learned from this experience?

 

Moral: Always tell the truth. If you lie too often, people may not believe you when you really need help.