There was once a young shepherd boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was lonely for him watching the sheep all day. No one was near, except for three farmers he could sometimes see working in the fields in the valley below.
One day the boy thought of a plan that would help him get a little company and have some fun. He ran down toward the valley crying, “Wolf! Wolf!”
The men ran to meet him, and after they found out there was no wolf after all, one man remained to talk with the boy awhile.
The boy enjoyed the company so much that a few days later he tried the same prank again, and again the men ran to help him.
A few days later, a real wolf came from the forest and began to steal the sheep. The startled boy ran toward the valley, and more loudly than ever he cried, “Wolf! Wolf!”
But the men, who had been fooled twice before, thought that the boy was tricking them again. So no one came to help the boy save his sheep.
A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.
Activities:
1. Suppose the shepherd boy had 30 sheep. It took the wolf ten minutes to eat one sheep. How long could it take the wolf to eat all sheep? What do you suggest the boy should do to save his sheep as many as possible?
2. How does the shepherd boy feel about tending the sheep? Do you think you would feel lonely if you were tending the sheep? Why or why not?
3. Why did no one come to help the shepherd boy after a real wolf attacked his sheep? What lessons do you learn from this story? Draw pictures to illustrate the story. Compare your illustrations with the following video. Then discuss with a partner.
