As I was teaching my daughter her Arabic lesson, we came across the story of The Shepherd and The Wolf. She already knew the story, but this time were using it mainly for learning some basic grammar.
Before we started our lesson, I asked her if she remembered the story.
‘I think so,’ she replied.
‘Brilliant. So what is it about?’
‘Little Red Riding Hood,’ she said and added a few others as options, none of them related to the one I’d asked about.
I couldn’t help laughing at these multiple choice answers that this young generation seems to master so well.
Now… it’s your turn.
Have you or your children heard of this story before?
If not, here it is:
Once upon a time, a young Shepherd was getting bored of his daily routine with the sheep. Everyone had the same chores to do and finish before the sun went down. They would wave hi and bye, and then hurry off to tend for their duties.
Day after day, the level of the Shepherd’s boredom exceeded the limits.
Then one day, he came up with a silver idea, the one that would stir a bit of hustle and bustle in the small village.
That day, the Shepherd waited until the noon sun was shinning everywhere. He ran all the way to the top of the mountain and looked down at the people enjoying their noon meal. Then, he screamed and screamed and screamed.
‘The wolf is attacking my sheep. Help. Help!’ he yelled and yelled and yelled.
The people, old and young, men and women, left their chores, abandoned their meal, and ran up the hill all the way to rescue him.
Slippers, old shoes, sticks, pans, pots, and knives were their weapons.
Breathless and exhausted, they reached the spot where the boy stood,
but there was no wolf, and the sheep were calm and happily grazing around.
The young shepherd apologised and explained how terrified he’d felt, hearing swishing and swooshing around, and thinking it must be a wolf.
The villagers sighed in relief and left the boy in peace.
Excited, the boy repeated the same show three times, each one with a different lie.
But the fourth time, the fake story became a real one.
A real wolf appeared, ready to play its role for a real drama.
The boy screamed nonstop,
His screams were earnest. ‘Help. Help. Please Help. The wolf is eating my sheep.’
But this time, his show didn’t win any audience.
The wolf grinned and hunted more and more.
The boy’s voice broke, and he could scream no more.
He finally realised that no one trusted him any more.
Wouldn’t it have been better if the young Shepherd had thought of some other exciting way to break his boredom without lying.
At the end of the day, even if some people smile and clap for the lair, they will neither trust nor respect them.
With never-be-the lying Shepherd thoughts,
Nahla
Pure and Simple 