New 'Boy Who Cried Wolf' Story

...crouching nervously in the tall grasses, the little boy spied a animal in a distance, eyes gleaming eerily in the moonlight.

A wolf.

He drew back as the wolf approached. The village elders must be informed! The little boy ran barefoot into the village and cried "WOLF! WOLF!"

But the villagers were not impressed. The elders have insisted that there were no wolves in the vicinity, only harmless wild dogs.

The sheep that have mysteriously died due to fierce attacks? Diseases.

The howling at night? Villagers' own hyperactive imagination.

There were no wolves. Period.

The little boy cried and cried a stream of tears "but there are wolves! I saw them just outside, circling in. Why won't you believe me?"

He cried until his voice was gone.

The villagers will never hear the baseless, pointless cry of stupid useless boy - they only listen to the elders.

But the wolves were not detered by the elders' denial. Two days later, a baby disappeared.

Then some children vanished.

A few adults never returned from the night.

The elders finally spoke. There was a WOLF! In fact there were packs of them outside for weeks, and yet nobody noticed their presence?

Furious, they asked - where is the little boy who held the night watch?

He was dragged in front of the elders and interrogated for his negligence.

But he could not defend himself as he could no longer speak.

He could no longer cry because his tears ran dry.

The elders declare the little boy guilty, and the villagers vented their anger on him by stoning him to death.