Seven Boys Who Cried Wolf
A boy out guarding the village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, was bored one morning, and amused himself with a childish jape. “A wolf, a wolf!” he yelled down the hill to the village below, to see the villagers running with whatever clubs were at hand to fight the nonexistent lupine. Discouraged upon seeing no such creature, they went back to their business. The next morning, on seeing a pair of glowing eyes through the brush, the boy cried out again “A wolf, a wolf!” to the village below - but no one believed him. Stalking the sheep one by one, the wolf gorged himself on the entire flock. When at last someone came to relieve the boy in his duty, upon seeing the pile of bones, the villagers knew what had happened, and that they would surely starve when the weather turned. Come winter, they ate him first.
A boy out guarding the village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, was bored one morning, and amused himself with a childish jape. “A wolf, a wolf!” he yelled down the hill to the village below, to see the villagers running with whatever clubs were at hand to fight the nonexistent lupine. Discouraged upon seeing no such creature, they beat the boy mercilessly until he screamed through bloody teeth that he was sorry and would never again tell such a lie. The boy became the best shepherd the village could ask for.
A boy out guarding the village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, was bored one morning, and amused himself with a childish jape. “A wolf, a wolf!” he yelled down the hill to the village below, to see the villagers running with whatever clubs were at hand to fight the nonexistent lupine. Upon seeing the fury of the villagers as they bounded up the hill, the boy realized what was inevitably to follow, and in his shame threw himself from a ridge, dashing himself on the rocks below.
A boy out guarding the village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, was bored one morning, and amused himself with a childish jape. “A wolf, a wolf!” he yelled down the hill to the village below, to see the villagers running with whatever clubs were at hand to fight the nonexistent lupine. Upon seeing the fury of the villagers as they bounded up the hill, the boy realized he had to get his story straight, and grabbing the nearest rock, bloodied himself upon its edge. “I fought him off, the bastard!” yelled the boy, whereupon the villagers commended him for his bravery and salved his wounds.
A boy out guarding the village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, was bored one morning, and amused himself with a childish jape. “A wolf, a wolf!” he yelled down the hill to the village below, to see the villagers running with whatever clubs were at hand to fight the nonexistent lupine. Upon seeing the fury of the villagers as they bounded up the hill, the boy realized he had to get his story straight, and grabbing the nearest rock, bloodied himself upon its edge. “I fought him off, the bastard!” yelled the boy, whereupon the villagers commended him for his bravery and salved his wounds. The next day, seeing the shadow of a wolf stalking their village, the villagers chose the bravest amongst them to lead the charge. When the beast’s glowing eyes fixed hungrily on the boy’s throat, he screamed in terror and ran back to the village below.
A boy out guarding the village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, was bored one morning as he stared into the woods around. Straining to see through through the brush, he thought he saw a pair of glowing eyes fixed upon him. But remembering what happened to the last boy, he attributed it to his idle mind and failed to raise the alarm, lest he too be beaten for his mistake. As night approached the boy thought the eyes grew larger, but in his terror of his neighbors decided it was a trick of the moonlight. When the wolf finally emerged from the woods to pounce upon him, it was too late for him to raise the alarm.
A wolf out stalking a village’s sheep, their only source of food during the long winter in their hardscrabble hills, came upon a callow shepherd boy guarding the flock. “Surely you could spare a sheep,” said the wolf, “and spare yourself the trouble of a fight - for even if you win and drive me off, will not the villagers be suspicious of you if they find no harmed sheep and no wolf?” The boy thought this a devil’s bargain - but remembering what happened to the last boy, decided the wolf had the better argument. Seeing the wolf slink off with a tender lamb in its jaws, the boy comforted himself with the thought that the villagers could not now doubt there was a wolf.
Who lets a boy guard the villages only source of food for the winter?
Curiously, the trickery of the boys in two of the stories and that of the wolf and boy in the last one produced a better outcome than the original, in which the boy's admitted foolishness caused the villagers to let down their guard completely.
Moral: The clever brigand can cause less harm than the lazy fool.