Of the Child Whiche Kepte the Sheep
The Boy Who Cried Wolf seven ways
When I was a boy I needed to know what really happens when you call 911. I was young enough to be semi-innocent in pursuing my curiosity but old enough to have a vague sense that what I was doing was somehow dangerous or frowned upon and so I waited until my parents were in another room. It was a landline so you can picture me taking the telephone from its cradle and the coiled cord stretching as I lifted it to my ear. I dialed the magic numbers with the trepidation of one who just has to test whether the self-destruct button really works. A woman answered my call. I don't remember what she said but I could hear the intensity and sobriety in her voice and I quickly hung up the phone. Only I was in a such a hurry that I did not properly seat the phone in its receiver and so I left the scary 911 lady with an open line and no communication.
Soon there was a knock on the front door. Even before my dad answered I felt a pit in my stomach. When I saw the police officer in the doorway, I tried to slink away to my bedroom. My dad called my name before I escaped and my fate was sealed. The police officer and my dad proceeded to lecture me and, once I realized I wasn't going to jail, I relaxed considerably. The situation had changed from "don't be incarcerated" to "survive a boring lecture." I remember how all the adults were trying to hide their amusement and to put the fear of God in me. And I remember how unimpressed I was with the policeman's scolding voice and demeaning tone.
When the officer asked me, "Have you heard the story of the boy who cried wolf?" and I quickly answered, "Yes," really hoping he would not tell me the story. But he responded, "I'm going to tell it to you anyway," glancing at my dad who nodded in agreement. I've always been a fairly teachable person but I felt jail time would have been better than hearing this man go on about Aesop's famous fable.
So the policeman told his tale in the most boring way and I tried not to roll my eyes. He and my dad made me promise never to repeat the offense and, after enough time had passed, the story became one in our family's catalog of humorous anecdotes.
The good news for you, dear reader, is that there are other, more interesting versions of this story which you may not have heard but offer valuable lessons and maybe even invitations into a deeper reality.
Every child should know the original, of course. The boy tells lies about wolves to his community because he is bored and his punishment is to be ignored when a real wolf attack occurs. It's a story worthy of some analysis: What does it mean that the sheep are harmed as a result of his lies? What does it mean for the community that the sheep are lost? How are we caught up in the web of sin, what we call iniquity, in which all are punished and no sin occurs in a vacuum?
Having mined the gold from the original, let's then see what we can gain from the other-worlds versions of our fable.
Once there was a boy who kept a herd of sheep. Often he would sit on the grassy hillside where his sheep grazed and would look out over the village below. The boy felt at peace in the countryside and mostly avoided the village but every now and then he had to go down in order to trade or pay his respects at the church on holy days.
The boy was only a boy but in his time he had witnessed a creeping decay of spirit amongst the people of his village. It made him ashamed and angry and sad. He saw the decadence and complacency that dulled their minds. Teachers of wisdom were being replaced with voices of influence; watchmen with those seeking entertainment.
The boy felt deep down that something was coming, some force or event or enemy, and he worried the people of his village were not prepared. So he decided to put them to the test.
One day the boy ran into the village and cried, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" Some villagers chuckled, some glanced up with glassy eyes, some made excuses. But some of the villagers followed the boy. They grabbed what weapons were available and ran after the boy who led them to the hillside.
When those who followed realized there was no wolf, they scolded the boy. "Don't cry wolf where there is no wolf!"
Then the boy spoke:
"My people, there is indeed a wolf that hunts the sheep only you sleep and cannot see it. Open your eyes. Many of us have grown fat of body and fat of mind. A time is coming when you will need to be ready to battle the wolf and, indeed, the wolves of the soul have already begun to feast. You who followed me here today must work together to see that the sheep are saved."
Once there was a boy who kept a herd of sheep. One evening, as he sat on his haunches and stared into the heart of the fire that kept him warm, his sheep became alarmed and their movement and bleating made him look up. Darkness was setting in. On the far side of his herd he saw a large black shadow moving toward his sheep. The boy knew it was a great black wolf. The boy stood and turned to the village in the valley below. He took a deep breath and made to cry out to the villagers but he knew they would not hear him. Then he made to run down to the village but he knew there was no time. Some of his sheep would surely be killed and the herd scattered before he could return with help.
So the boy took a deep breath and mastered his fear. He already had his staff in his hand as he almost never put it down. He turned back and squinted until the black shadow moved again. Then the boy ran toward the wolf. His sheep parted to make way as he ran through the herd. The wolf crouched and growled and when the boy was close enough the wolf leapt into the air. Time seemed to slow down and the boy's eyes grew wide when he saw how large the wolf was with its body stretched out in the sky. The boy felt a strange mixture of dismay and ecstasy but he did not hesitate. With both hands on his staff he thrust it forward like a spear and caught the wolf right under his chin. The deep, rumbling growl quickly turned to a high pitched yelp when the staff made contact and the wolf went tumbling. The boy felt spirit fill him now. He felt possessed by some great joy as he set upon the wolf with his staff and clubbed it over and over till the beast went panting away into the dark.
The boy slept peacefully that night though he knew the wolf would look for an opportune time to return.
Once there was a boy who kept a herd of sheep. On a cold, windy night one autumn the boy was woken up. He turned over in his knapsack to see what had roused him. A thin curl of smoke was still rising from the fire pit. The sheep were asleep. The moon shone with a cold light on the hillside. The great wolf sat perfectly still, his eyes aglow with a bright yellow light. He stared directly at the boy.
The boy sat up with a start. A wolf! Instantly the boy was up and running. He cried out, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" as he ran to wake up the shepherds in their hut. The shepherds roused with grunts and shouts and came tumbling out into the night. They asked the boy where the wolf was and then set off running with their staffs but when they got to the sheep, the wolf was nowhere to be seen nor was any wolf sign to be found.
The men grumbled and scowled at the boy as they returned to their hut. The oldest shepherd patted the boy on the shoulder.
"You just had a bad dream, boy. Go back to bed and don't wake us again unless there is a real wolf or the other men may want to teach you a lesson."
The boy went back to sleep but again he was woken and again he saw the wolf, sitting in the same spot. The wolf was wagging its tail. Perhaps more eager to prove himself to the other shepherds than to save the sheep, he ran and cried out and woke them up again. Again they went in search of the wolf though they cast sideways glances at the boy. Again they found no sign of a wolf.
The men made threatening gestures at the boy as they returned to their hut. The oldest shepherd looked compassionately at the boy,
"Well, be ready for some rough treatment tomorrow from the others. You'll be alright though."
The boy went back to bed, embarrassed and angry. It took him some time to fall back asleep and when he did, he was only able to nod off for a moment before the wolf woke him again with its stare. The boy stared back for a moment at those glowing yellow eyes and that tail wagging almost as if the wolf wanted to play. He then walked down to the shepherd's hut, snuck in quietly, and shook the shoulder of the oldest shepherd. The shepherd opened one eye and did not look surprised. The old shepherd put his finger to his lips before getting up and they walked a ways away from the hut.
"This is no ordinary wolf, my boy. A spirit has called on you. You must see what it has to say. When the wolf comes again, I want you to go ask it what's what. Keep your staff ready but do not threaten it. Call out for me if you need help."
The boy could not fall back asleep. Soon he felt the wolf's eyes on the back of his neck. He turned back and it was there, sure enough. He sighed. It was colder now and he could see his breath. The boy stood with his staff in hand and walked slowly but confidently toward the wolf. The wolf's yellow eyes widened a bit.
"I'm here now, wolf. What message do you have for me?"
The wolf leaned its head back and opened its mouth and began to sing the starlight down into the boy's heart.
There once was a boy who kept a herd of sheep. One day the boy was so out of sorts that he shouted, "Wolf! Wolf! A wolf is chasing the sheep," even though there was no wolf. The villagers came running to the hillside where the sheep grazed only to be greeted by the boy's derisive laughter. Most of the villagers shook their heads and scolded him and waved their hands dismissively at the boy. But one man saw the boy for what he was. He was a lonely, sad boy who wanted attention.
The man had pity on the boy and decided to join him on his hillside. The man carved a staff for himself so he could help the boy keep the sheep. He got used to sleeping on the ground. He learned the tones and grunts and whistles the boy used to direct the sheep. The man would spend hours sitting next to the boy, staring into the heart of the fire.
Slowly, the boy came to believe that he was not alone and the boy found he did not want to tell lies anymore.
There once was a boy who kept a herd of sheep. One day a wolf came and stole one of the sheep. The wolf snatched up a straggling lamb in its toothy jaws and ran away. The boy saw what had happened and he set off running after the wolf, leaving the other sheep behind. He would run and would keep running and would not return until he had the lamb safely in hand.
What a great piece! I think this is my favorite you've sent so far.