The Boy Who Cried wolf
There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!”
The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.
“Don’t cry ‘wolf’, shepherd boy,” said the villagers, “when there’s no wolf!” They went grumbling back down the hill.
Later, the boy sang out again, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away.
When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, “Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there is NO wolf!”
But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.
Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, “Wolf! Wolf!”
But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn’t come.
At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn’t returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping.
“There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, “Wolf!” Why didn’t you come?”
An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village.
“We’ll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning,” he said, putting his arm around the youth, “Nobody believes a liar…even when he is telling the truth!”
The morale of that story is that you shouldn’t lie. Obviously. People used to get this, and even find this cute. Heck they would even make that tale into a nice musical story, with a bassoon and everything.
But that was then.
I strongly believe that this story can’t be told this way in 2009 and within the new corporate reality. The updated version would have this extra bit:
The Boy who cried Wolf – The Corporate Edition
[...]
Then the boy just ran back to the village, to his grandfather the village Chief, saying how the old man called him a liar and how that made him feel ashamed in front of everybody.
The village Chief decreeted that the old man was to be flogged within an inch of his life for bringing shame to his family.
And that’s why nothing gets done in the village: Because ever since that day, all the men spend their days running up and down that hill to avoid being flogged.
The new morale of that story is that it really doesn’t matter what you do or don’t do, as long as you know the person in charge. Obviously. I get it.
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November 10th, 2009 at 00:58
Annnnd… it’s the exact same most everywhere you go.
Which has always made me wonder how I can get a job as a village chief.
Dave2´s last blog ..Bullet Sunday 156
November 10th, 2009 at 01:01
OK. Who does the wolf represent? The customer? No, no, wait… the competition? Murray from accounting maybe? Sigh. You’re too deep for me, LeSombr-uh.
Faiqa´s last blog ..Because I’m A Follower
November 10th, 2009 at 08:56
I like it. I mean, the story. The reality is too fucking annoying.
Sybil Law´s last blog ..Buzzed Posting
November 10th, 2009 at 09:24
Ahhh corporate games…one more reason I’m thankful that my biggest problem at work is seeing my boss without his pants on.
Hilly´s last blog ..When Did Proust Become A Sheep?
November 10th, 2009 at 10:41
@Dave2: Hopefully, you’d be a much better village chief.
@Faiqa: The wolf? It would be any “hairy thing” thaty could happen, right? Maybe it’s just that guy with the wolf sweatshirt.
@Sybil Law: Reality? I’m off that mailing list you know.
@Hilly: It also came up here a few times.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:33
This makes me sad.
I’m lucky that this isn’t something that comes up in my work place (really, it’s one of the few positives) but I’ve got that same situation going on in other places.
And it sucks.
::hugs::
Sheila (Charm School Reject)´s last blog ..
November 10th, 2009 at 11:41
@SheilaCSR: Meh, don’t be sad. No that it’s been dealt with and that I could vent about it here, it’s all behind me. Moving forward. However I’d still take the hug. Deal?
November 10th, 2009 at 12:03
Eventually, the wolf eats the boy.
Ren´s last blog ..Please Look Right Here…
November 10th, 2009 at 12:12
@Ren: One can always hope.
November 10th, 2009 at 16:28
Well, healthcare is just as crappy to work in. I need to be my own boss.
Becky´s last blog ..Game. Set. Match.
November 10th, 2009 at 18:56
I know the story well…glad that you’re able to move forward!
Tug´s last blog ..Coors Field
November 10th, 2009 at 21:58
That’s beautiful. And oh so true.
kapgar´s last blog ..Take all the worry out of your mind…
November 11th, 2009 at 05:12
Well, I guess all’s well that ends well, right? In whichever way you got to the well part
So I assume you slept with the boss then?
DutchBitch´s last blog ..Fortune Cookie
November 11th, 2009 at 10:04
@Becky: I wouldn’t be able to be my own boss. I don’t wanna work for an insane man.
@Tug: I am. It’s not that bad really. I just needed to vent a bit.
@Kapgar: ::bows down::
@DutchBitch: you know why I like you? Because you make me seem normal.
That would explain the crying, but no. 
November 12th, 2009 at 10:27
I’d like to invoke a little Beatles.
And, in the end;
the love you take,
is equal to the love you make.
Which I think could somehow be converted to a nice little story about a wolf devouring the boy who cried wolf and then vomiting the boy’s body parts onto the doorstep of the Village Chief who misused his power.
whall´s last blog ..Operation Call Home