A Liar Shepherd / Cowboy: There was a shepherd boy (Story Writing)

A Liar Shepherd

In a certain village, there lived a shepherd boy who tended to a flock of sheep near a nearby forest. He had a habit of lying on the slightest of excuses, and he found joy in making fun of others by telling false tales. Despite his ill behavior, the boy had a pleasant talent of singing and playing the flute, which he used to entertain himself while tending to the sheep. One day, the shepherd boy wanted to make a jest of the villagers. The villagers were known for their kindness, simplicity, and helpfulness towards others in times of need. Thus, the boy began to shout, “Wolf! Wolf! Help!” The villagers, hearing the boy's cries, came rushing to his aid. However, they found no wolf there, and the boy laughed at them for their gullibility. The boy had befooled the villagers, and they became angry with him. They warned him to not repeat such an act again.

A few days later, the shepherd boy repeated the same prank, but this time the villagers, having learned from their previous experience, did not take his cries seriously. They were fed up with his falsehoods and rebuked him for his behavior. Despite their warnings, the boy persisted in his habit of telling lies and making fun of others.

One afternoon, while the shepherd boy was grazing his sheep in the field, a wolf really did fall upon his flock and began to kill them. The boy became afraid and shouted, “Wolf! Wolf! Help! Help! A wolf is attacking my sheep! Come and help me!” The villagers heard him, but they thought that he was playing the same old trick on them. Consequently, no one came to his aid. The wolf ended up killing not only the sheep but also the shepherd boy. When the villagers found his lifeless body, they regretted their inaction and lamented that if the boy had not been in the habit of lying, they would have responded to his cries and saved him from his perilous fate.

From this cautionary tale, we learn that it is unwise and dangerous to make fun of others by telling lies. Falsehood not only brings destruction to oneself but also harms others. We should always speak the truth and avoid telling lies for our own sake and that of others around us.

Moral :

The following is the beginning of a story. Complete it within 80 words of your own :

There was a naughty cowboy who grazed his cows beside a forest. He used to make fun with people crying "Tiger! Tiger!"           DB22; JB'12; CtgB'l 7; BB'13; DJB'121

Ans. A Liar Cowboy

There was a naughty cowboy who grazed his cows beside a forest. He used to make fun with the people crying "Tigerl Tigerl"

One day, the people looked up to see the cowboy frantically waving and pointing toward his cows. Dropping their sickles, they hurried over, expecting danger. However, they found the cows peacefully grazing and no sign of a tiger.

"Where is the tiger?" they asked.

"I never said there was a tiger," the cowboy replied, laughing loudly at their confused faces. Angrily, the men left, feeling deceived.

A few days later, the same men heard the cry, "Tiger! Tiger!"

Compassionate and concerned, they abandoned their work and rushed to the pasture. Upon arrival, they realized they had been fooled again. Searching for the cowboy, they found him hiding in the bushes, watching their reactions with amusement.

Then, one day, a real tiger appeared. Terrified, the boy ran to the men for help.

"Oh, you've tricked us twice already," they said. "We won’t be fooled again."

"But this time, the tiger is real," the boy pleaded desperately. "It's attacking my cows! Please, help!" But the men, tired of being deceived, continued their work, ignoring his pleas.

The tiger attacked the cows, killing many. In desperation, the boy tried to fend off the tiger himself, but he was no match for the beast. The tiger turned on him, tearing him to pieces.

This tragic incident taught the men a painful lesson about the consequences of false alarms. They realized that the boy's constant lies had cost him his life, as their trust had been broken beyond repair. The men returned to their work, somber and reflective, knowing that had they responded, the boy and his cows might have been saved. The memory of the boy’s cries haunted them, a grim reminder of the importance of honesty and the dangers of deceit.