10. The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf

Once there was a boy who took care of a flock of sheep near a town. One day, when some men were working in the town, they heard the boy call, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolves are among the lambs!” The men ran up to him in great haste, but found no wolf among the lambs at all. The boy had a good laugh, and said, “I only called you for a joke!” He did the same thing two or three times. At last the wolves really came and began carrying off the lambs. The boy cried, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolves are carrying away the lambs!” But the men said, “He can’t fool us again!” So they would not come, and the wolves carried off many of the lambs. The foolish boy lost his place and found out, when too late, that a boy who tells lies, even in fun, may not be believed when he tells the truth.