The Boy Who Cried Wolf

A shepherd boy watched his master’s sheep near a village. To amuse himself, he took a deep breath and cried out:

“Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!”

The villagers came running to help him, but when they arrived they saw no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.

A few days later, he played the same trick again.

“Wolf! Wolf!” he shouted.

Once more the villagers rushed up the hill to help him, only to be fooled again. The boy laughed and laughed.

Then one evening, a real wolf came out of the forest and began to attack the sheep. The boy ran toward the village shouting:

“Wolf! Wolf! Please help! The wolf is really here this time!”

But the villagers thought he was trying to trick them again, and no one came to help. The wolf attacked the flock, and the boy was left alone and frightened.

Moral: Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth.