Once upon a time, in a small, peaceful village, there lived a young shepherd boy. His job was to watch over the village’s flock of sheep. Day after day, he sat on a hill, quietly watching the sheep as they grazed in the meadow. But one day, the boy grew bored. There was nothing exciting about sitting all alone with just the sheep.

The boy thought to himself, “I need some fun.” Then an idea popped into his head—a trick to liven things up. He stood up and yelled as loudly as he could, “Wolf! Wolf! There’s a wolf attacking the sheep!”

Hearing his cries, the villagers dropped their work and rushed up the hill to help him. But when they arrived, they found no wolf, only the boy laughing and rolling on the ground. “It was just a joke!” the boy giggled. The villagers, out of breath and worried, shook their heads and returned to the village.

The next day, as the boy sat watching the sheep, he felt that same boredom creep in. “That was fun yesterday,” he thought, “I’ll do it again!” So, once more, he stood up and shouted, “Wolf! Wolf!” Again, the villagers came running, but when they arrived, they found no wolf, just the boy laughing at them.

“Don’t play such tricks!” the villagers warned. But the boy didn’t listen.

Then, one afternoon, as the boy was watching the sheep, something moved in the bushes nearby. A pair of yellow eyes glowed, and the boy realized, with a shiver, that a real wolf was creeping towards the flock. He jumped up in fear and cried out, “Wolf! Wolf! Help, there’s a real wolf this time!”

But this time, no one came. The villagers had heard his cries too many times before and thought he was playing another trick. The wolf attacked the sheep, scattering them in every direction, and the boy stood helplessly as his flock disappeared.

From that day on, the boy never lied again. He had learned the hard way that when you lie, people stop believing you—even when you are telling the truth.

Moral:

Always tell the truth, because if you lie too often, people won’t believe you when it really matters.

Let’s Chat About This Story: Fun Questions for Curious Kids

Talking about this story can help your kids understand the importance of honesty. Here are some fun questions to get started:

1. Why do you think the boy played the trick on the villagers?
2. How did the villagers feel when they realized there was no wolf?
3. What happened when the wolf finally showed up for real?
4. Why is it important to always tell the truth?
5. What would you have done differently if you were the boy?

Did You Know Fun Facts

1. Did you know that wolves are very intelligent animals and usually travel in packs? A wolf pack is like a family, with each wolf playing a special role!
2. Fun Fact: Sheep have excellent memories and can remember up to 50 different faces, both human and animal, for years.
3. Did you know that “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is a fable from ancient Greece, originally told by Aesop? It’s been teaching kids about honesty for over 2,500 years!
4. Fun Fact: Wolves communicate by howling, but they also use facial expressions, just like humans do!

Download Free Coloring Pages Related To This Story

Bring the story to life with coloring pages designed to spark creativity and make story time even more fun. Coloring helps kids express their creativity, improve focus, and reinforce the story’s themes in a fun, engaging way. After reading together, let them bring the story to life with colors!

Click on any of the free coloring pages below to download or print it!