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Once upon a time, there was a shepherd boy who 

lived with his father. They lived on the top of a 

sunny hill near the edge of the forest, overlooking 

the village. Each day, the boy and his father 

would go out into the field and tend to their 

sheep, making sure they had enough grass to eat 

and didn't wander too close to the forest.  

One day the father said to the boy, "Son, I must 

travel to the city to sell our wool. I will be gone 

three days and three nights."

"But father," replied the boy, "Can't   I come, 

too?" 

"No," said the father, "You must stay behind and 

protect our sheep from the wolves in the forest. If 

you have trouble while I'm away, call for the 

townspeople who will come and help you." 

The next morning, the father prepared to leave. 

The boy was not happy to stay behind, but wished 

his father a safe journey and went out to watch the 

sheep. After a few hours, however, the boy began 

to grow bored. There was nobody to talk to, and 

nobody to play with.

He tried playing hide-and-seek and tag with the 

sheep, but they weren't interested. They only ate 

the grass and sometimes said "baaaaaaaah" to 

each other. 

Boring, boring, boring thought the little boy. 

Then he had an idea. He stood at the top of the 

hill and with all of his might, he yelled "Wolf, 

Wolf, Woooooooooooolf" down towards the 

village. 

Within a few minutes, several of the townspeople 

came running up the hill to help. But when they 

arrived, of course there was no wolf. 

The boy thought this was very funny to see 

everyone tired and out of breath. He laughed out 

loud at how silly everyone looked. 

The baker -- who was a bit-poly -- was especially tired. 

"Where is the wolf?" he asked.

"He must have run away," laughed the boy.

"Run away? Are you sure there was a wolf?" '

"Oh yes," the boy chuckled, "I'm quite sure." 

The baker and the townspeople looked around the house, 

the field and the edge of the forest, but of course they could 

find no wolf, and so returned to the forest 

The next day, the boy went out into the field 

again. Unable to control his boredom with sheep 

tending, he decided to try his trick again. "Wolf, 

Wolf, Woooooooooooolf! he cried. 

Again, several of the townspeople came running 

up the hill, this time even faster than before. 

When they arrived, of course there was no wolf, 

and everyone was tired. The boy thought this was 

hilarious, and laughed and laughed. 

The blacksmith -- who was still carrying his 

hammer and tongs -- was especially tired. 

"Where is the wolf?" he asked.

"He must have run away," laughed the boy.

"Run away? Are you sure there was a wolf?" '

"Oh yes," laughed the boy, "I'm quite sure." 

So the blacksmith, the baker, and the rest of the 

townspeople looked all around the house twice, 

all over the field and the edge of the forest, but of 

course they could find no wolf. They became 

frustrated and so returned to the village. 

On the third day, the boy went out into the field 

again. He thought that maybe the townspeople 

were beginning to guess his trick, and he thought 

better of trying it again. 

But by the afternoon, he could not resist any 

longer.   Perhaps he would try it just one more 

time. He stood at the top of the hill and yelled 

"Wolf, Wolf, Woooooooooooolf! down towards 

the village.

As before, several of the townspeople came 

running up the hill. When they arrived, of course 

there was no wolf, and everyone was exhausted -- 

and angry.

The butcher -- who was still carrying a ham under his 

arms -- was especially tired. 

"Where is the wolf?" he asked.

"He must have run away," laughed the boy.

"Run away? Are you sure there was a wolf?" '

"Oh yes," laughed the boy, "I'm quite sure." 

So the butcher, the blacksmith, the baker, and the rest 

of the townspeople looked all around the house three 

times, all over the field and even went a ways into the 

forest, but of course they could find no wolf. Now they 

were very angry.

"There is no wolf," they cried. "You lied to us! Where 

is your father?"

Seeing how angry the townspeople were, the boy was 

no longer laughing, but quite scared. He ran into the 

house and locked the door. The townspeople banged 

on the door, but he would not let them in. After 

awhile, they returned to the village. 

The boy came out of the house and returned to the 

field. He decided that it wasn't a good idea to play 

the trick anymore, and went back to tending sheep. 

But all was not well.

Deep in the forest, the smell of the butcher's 

freshly cooked ham reached the nose of a sleeping 

wolf.   "A delicious piece of meat!" thought the 

wolf, waking in hunger. "I must find it at once." 

And so the wolf set out in search of the source of 

the wonderful smell.

The next morning, the boy and the sheep 

ventured out to the meadow. The boy was happy 

that his father would be returning later that day, 

and whistled as he and the sheep walked to the 

field. He watched the sheep until at last   he 

became tired and lay down to take an afternoon 

nap.

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