The Boy Who Cried Wolf

A shepherd boy was given the job of watching his village's flock on the hill above the town. The days were long and quiet, and before long he grew bored of sitting alone with only sheep for company. One afternoon, just to see what would happen, he cupped his hands and shouted, "Wolf! Wolf! A wolf is attacking the sheep!" The villagers below dropped their tools and came running, sticks and stones in hand, ready to fight off the beast. But when they reached the hill, they found nothing — only the boy, laughing at how easily he had fooled them. Annoyed, they returned to their work, and the boy thought it was the funniest thing he had ever done. A few days later, feeling bored again, he played the same trick, and once more the villagers rushed up the hill for nothing. This time they were angrier, and a few muttered that they wouldn't be so quick to believe him next time. Then, one evening as the sun was setting, a real wolf crept out of the trees and began stalking toward the flock. Terrified, the boy screamed with all his strength, "Wolf! Wolf! Please, a wolf is really here this time!" But down in the village, no one moved. "He's just playing his little game again," they said, shaking their heads, and they went on with their supper. The wolf scattered the flock and slipped back into the forest before anyone came, and the boy learned, far too late, that a liar is not believed even when he speaks the truth.