A boy used to graze sheep in the forest pasture.
He was very mischievous.
He loved to befool others by playing pranks. Being lonely in the jungle was very boring. His idle mind would keep itself busy by thinking of new pranks and mischiefs. There were some fields near the forest. The farmers used to work in their fields every day.
One day the boy decided to play a prank on those farmers and have some fun.
He had got an idea.
He screamed loudly, “Wolf! Wolf!! Help! Help!!”
The farmers heard his screams and rushed to help the boy leaving the field work they were doing. They carried their implements to use as weapons against the wolf. But they found no wolf there.
“Where is the wolf?” they asked.
The boy giggled merrily and spoke, “That was a joke. There was no wolf. You may go back to your work.”
The annoyed farmers returned after rebuking the boy.
After their departure the boy again went into peals of laughter, “What fools I made of them!”
After a few days the boy repeated the prank. The simple farmers again rushed to his help. The boy again laughed, “I was again joking! Why do you people rush like idiots hearing a little noise?”
The farmers were furious. They scolded the boy. But the boy shamelessly kept giggling.
The farmers decided never to go again to the help of that naughty boy.
One day, a wolf really came. The boy shouted for help. But none responded to his calls.
Everyone thought the boy was again joking.
The wolf killed many sheep. The boy repented for his mischief.
Moral : People never believe even in the truth of a liar.
