The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Link: https://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/boy.html

There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!"

The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.

"Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no wolf!" They went grumbling back down the hill.

Later, the boy sang out again, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away.

When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!"

But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.

Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!"

But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come.

At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping.

"There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, "Wolf!" Why didn't you come?"

An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village.

"We'll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning," he said, putting his arm around the youth, "Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!"

Once, there was a young shepherd (a person who takes care of sheep) boy who watched the village (a small town) sheep on a hillside (a slope on the side of a hill). He felt bored (not interested) and wanted to have some fun. So, he took a deep (far down or far in) breath and shouted (yelled loudly), "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing (running after) the sheep!"

The villagers (people who live in a village) heard him and ran up the hill to help. But when they got there, they saw no wolf. The boy laughed (made a sound of happiness or amusement) when he saw how angry (very mad) they were.

"Don't shout 'wolf' when there is no wolf!" said the villagers. They went back down the hill, upset (unhappy or worried).

A little later (after some time), the boy shouted again, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" He was being naughty (misbehaving or being troublesome) and laughed as the villagers ran up the hill to help.

When the villagers found no wolf again, they were very serious (not joking, showing importance). "Save your cries (calls for help) for when there is really a problem (something that is wrong or difficult)! Don't shout 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!" they said.

The boy only smiled as they went back down the hill again, still upset.

After some time, a real wolf came and started to chase the sheep. The boy was scared (afraid or frightened). He jumped up and shouted as loud (very noisy) as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!"

But this time, the villagers thought he was lying (not telling the truth) again, so they did not come.

At sunset (when the sun goes down), the villagers noticed (saw or realized) the boy had not returned (come back) with the sheep. They went up the hill to check (look to see if something is okay) on him and found him crying (tears coming from eyes because of sadness).

"There really was a wolf this time! The sheep have run away! I shouted 'Wolf!' Why didn't you come?" he asked.

An old man put his arm around the boy to comfort (make someone feel better) him as they walked back to the village.

"We will help you find the lost sheep in the morning (the early part of the day)," he said. "But remember, no one believes (trusts or thinks is true) someone who lies... even when they are telling the truth (what is real or right)."