The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE BOYS WHO CRIED WOLF

ONCE THERE WERE TWO BOYS WHO WERE IN CHARGE OF
WATCHING THE SHEEP FOR AN ENTIRE VILLAGE WHILE
THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WERE IN TOWN. THE TWO BOYS
HATED THIS TASK AND WERE VERY BORED. ONE DAY, ONE
OF THE BOYS GOT AN IDEA ON HOW TO ADD A LITTLE
EXCITEMENT TO THEIR JOB. "WHAT IS IT?" ASKED THE
OTHER BOY. THE OLDER ONE SAID, "WELL, YOU GO INTO
TOWN SCREAMING THAT THE WOLF HAS COME TO TAKE THE
SHEEP AND I'LL STAY HERE WITH THE HERD." "ALL
RIGHT," SAID THE OTHER BOY. THE YOUNGER BOY RAN
INTO TOWN, SCREAMING THAT THE WOLF HAD COME TO GET
SHEEP. THE ENTIRE TOWN GATHERED WEAPONS OF ALL
KINDS AND WENT WITH THE BOY TO THE FIELDS. WHEN
THE VILLAGERS GOT THERE, THE OLDER BOY WAS SITTING
IN A TREE AND WAS LAUGHING AT THEM. THE PEOPLE WERE
VERY ANGRY AND RETURNED TO TOWN. THE BOYS WERE
REPRIMANDED FOR PLAYING SUCH A CRUEL TRICK.
EVERYTHING WENT ALONG FINE FOR ABOUT ONE MONTH.
THEN THE BOYS PLAYED THE SAME TRICK AND THE
VILLAGERS CAME ONCE AGAIN TO PROTECT THEIR SHEEP
AND RUN THE WOLF OFF. AGAIN, IT WAS A JOKE AND
THE VILLAGERS WERE VERY ANGRY. AGAIN THE BOYS WERE
PUNISHED SEVERELY. ONE DAY, NOT LONG AFTER THIS A
WOLF DID COME TO ATTACK THE SHEEP. THE YOUNGER
BOY AGAIN RAN INTO TOWN FOR HELP. THE VILLAGERS,
HOWEVER, THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER TRICK AND REFUSED TO
COME. THE BOY BEGGED AND BEGGED BUT THE PEOPLE REFUSED
TO COME. THE BOY RETURNED TO THE FIELD TO HELP THE
OLDER BOY HIDE AS MANY SHEEP AS THEY COULD. THAT
NIGHT, WHEN THE SHEEP WERE RETURNED TO TOWN, ONE HALF
WERE MISSING. THEIR OWNERS DEMANDED TO KNOW THE
REASON AND THE BOYS EXPLAINED SADLY THAT A REAL WOLF
HAD COME AND HAD TAKEN OR DESTROYED THEM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; MOTHER

Date learned: 10-15-1965