High on a green hillside lived a young shepherd boy who watched over a flock of sheep. The days were long and quiet, and sometimes he felt bored. He wanted excitement. He wanted attention.
One afternoon, he ran toward the village shouting, “Wolf! Wolf! A wolf is attacking the sheep!← The villagers dropped their work and rushed up the hill with sticks and brave hearts.
But when they arrived, there was no wolf. The boy laughed and laughed. “I tricked you!← he said. The villagers were angry, yet they returned home.
A few days later, the boy played the same trick again. “Wolf! Wolf!← he cried. Once more the villagers ran to help, and once more they found only sheep and a laughing boy.
Then, one evening as the sky turned purple-blue, a real wolf crept out of the trees. The sheep scattered in fear. The boy shouted with all his might, “Wolf! Please help! This time it is true!←
But no one came. The villagers thought it was another joke. The boy felt terrible and alone. He had told so many lies that nobody believed him when he finally spoke the truth.
That night he learned a heavy lesson: trust is precious. Once it is broken, it is very hard to mend. From then on, he promised to always tell the truth.