The Shepherd and The Wolf

There was once upon a time a shepherd boy named Owen. He looked after his master's Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. He needed to work every day after school to make a living. Owen was left alone since his parents passed away. This poor little Owen had no friends as he was short, skinny and weak. And yet he liked to boost, claiming himself as a wolf fighter. All the children did not want to play with him expect Trisha, a kind-hearted beautiful girl.

There was a big playground at a little distance from where Owen kept his flock. Every evening he would herd, guard, and tend the sheep. Unlike other children, they were going to have tea-time and then went off to play. Owen sat on the rock lonely playing with sticks. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe. He really hoped that the other children would ask him to play with them, but this seldom happened.

“Owen, come play with us! Don’t just sit on the rock and see us playing. “Cried Trisha while running towards the playground.

“Trisha, I want to play with you all. But…but” replied Owen with a hesitation.

“But what? Owen. Don’t you want to play hide and seek?” asked Trisha mournfully.

“ Who is going to take care of the sheep? I afraid the wolf will come, Trisha,” replied Owen seriously.

At the moment, the other children had come. They did not want Owen to be part of them and so they asked Ben, the big bully not to let Owen in.

The tall and strong Ben walked towards Owen slowly while whistling, he thought he would play a trick on the poor Owen and have some fun at his expense.

“Hi, Little Owen, come and play with us. I heard that you are a wolf fighter, so you should not be afraid of the wolves, right? ”said Ben with a giggle while walking away. The other children laughed loudly.

“Of course, I am not afraid of the wolf, Ben. I will go play now. ”said Owen confidently. Immediately he stood up and left his shepherd's pipe on the rock.

“Ten, nine, eight,…,three , two, ONE!” shouted Ben. The game started.

Although Owen was happy to be in the game, he seemed worry about the sheep.

All of a sudden, Ben ran with all his might, shouting at the top of his voice, "Wolf! Wolf! Come and help! The wolves are at the lambs!"

As he expected, Owen was the first to react, he ran as quickly as possible to the village to ask for help.

“You are the first one I want to catch!” said Ben while grabbing Owen’s arm. Meanwhile, the other children came out from their hide place.

“Game over! Hahaha,” said Ben with a victory. He doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them.

Owen was angry with the act of Ben but he felt relief since it was just a lie. So, they continue to play.

The other game started. “Ten, nine, eight,…,three , two…” shouted Ben.

“Wolf!” shouted Ben loudly.

Again?!

All the other children did not appear; they continued to stay in their hide place. They thought it was the same old trick to let Ben win the game.

No, this time was true. Ben did not lie. A Wolf really did spring from the underbrush and fall upon the Sheep.

The Wolf attacked a great many of the sheep and then slipped away into the forest. And the poor little Owen lost all his sheep.

Ben felt very sorry for what had happened due to his lie. He decided to apologize to Sheep master. Ben was punished to be a shepherd for the next six months with Owen.

On the spring time, all the children played at the field as usual but Owen and Ben took turn to play as one of them had to be there to guard the sheep. After all, they became best friends.