A shepherd-boy lived in a small village. He watched a flock of sheep near a village. He used to call out the villagers three or four times by saying out, “Wolf! Wolf!” and when his neighbours came to help him, he always used to laugh at them for their pain and foolishness. And it had become a joke in the village. But one day as fate had it, the Wolf truly came.
The shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of terror, “Please do come and help me; the wolf is killing the sheep.” But none paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance. The wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure destroyed the whole flock. The boy kept shouting for help but everyone thought this time also he was lying. The boy had paid for being dishonest and troubling everyone with his pranks. There is no one believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth. We should never befool people. We cannot befool them all the time.
