Boy Who Cried "Wolf"

Aesop's Fables

A SHEPHERD BOY, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, wanted some amusement during the long days he spent on the hillside guarding his sheep. So he decided to play a joke on his neighbours...

He shouted "Wolf! Wolf!" at the top of his voice, so he was heard in the village below.

The villagers dropped what they were doing and ran up the hill to help him, thinking that wolves were attacking their sheep. The boy laughed and thought this was a good trick.

The next day, the boy decided to see if he could get the villagers up the hill again. He cried "Wolf! Wolf!", and again, several villagers came out to see if he was in trouble.

On the Third day, the Wolf came.

The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is killing the sheep"; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance. The Wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure massacred the entire flock.

Moral: There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth.