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."

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 roly-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 village. 

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.

Suddenly he awoke to the sound of scared sheep, bleating, "BAAAAH BAAAAH BAAAAH!" The wolf had come while the boy was napping and, unable to find the ham, had instead decided to steal a sheep. 

There was no time to lose. The boy jumped to the top of the hill and yelled "Wolf, Wolf, Woooooooooooolf" down towards the village. Several moments passed , but he could see no people coming. Meanwhile, the wolf had chosen the fattest sheep he could find.

"Wolf, Wolf, Woooooooooooolf," cried the boy again, but still he could see nobody coming. By now the wolf had grabbed the sheep and was heading for the edge of the forest. 

One last time, "Wolf, Wolf, Woooooooooooolf," cried the boy. Finally he could see a single person coming up the hill. But by then it was too late. The wolf had already disappeared into the forest with the sheep. 

The boy realized that the man climbing the hill was his father, and began to cry. Finally as the father reached the top of the hill, the boy could see that he was angry. 

"Father, a wolf has come and stolen one of our sheep!" said the boy. 

"Tell me what happened," said the father.

So the boy told his father about his lies to the townspeople, and how he had tricked them into climbing the hill when there was really no wolf. 

"This is very bad," said the father, frowning.

"Yes, father," said the boy, "I am so sorry for the loss of our sheep. What can I do?"