The good, the bad and the ugly of an idiom
Once upon a time there was a shepherd boy who was diligently doing his duties, according to Aesop, but perhaps got a little bored, a little lonely or was just trying to be a little bit funny. We really don’t know for sure, and therein lies the mystery in the fable-turned-idiom about crying “Wolf!”
Fables weren’t written just to tell stories; they were written to teach valuable lessons or morals. The value of some of these probably improbable tales may be disputed by some and misunderstood by others. This is one such tale, but let’s take a detour for a moment …
In 1993, another boy, equipped with a camera and armed with a heightened sense of enthusiasm, practically leapt out of the back passenger side of a Suburban, in mid-February, enticed by the sight of two grey wolves. His Yukon adventure had begun. The wolves were stunning. I had never seen wolves in the wild and have never seen one again since. My childhood imagination sprang to life, but I stayed in my seat (my husband didn’t). We were on our first ride through the Yukon wilderness, guided by a senior couple we had just met; our trusty steed, a rusted Suburban (probably when we first fell in love with Suburbans).
I bet you are eager to hear how this story turned out. No one was eaten. Neither did my husband garner any photographic evidence of our first and probably last Yukon wolf encounter. Wade had given us all a start and I was more than a little concerned as we watched him disappear into the boreal forest. We could hear him whistling (yes, whistling!). He’s an amazing whistler and I guess he hoped the wolves would linger just long enough for a photo shoot. Just seconds and the deed would be done. But no such luck. And, thankfully, there was no cry of “Wolf!” from the forest edge.
Getting back to that other boy—the shepherd—who was minding his own business and watching his flock when a wolf appeared; well, his cry of “Wolf!” was dismissed by any and all who had heard it, according to Aesop’s fable. Apparently, no matter the age of the child, the moral of this story is an important one that has endured for a very long time (centuries).
Now it’s time to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of this idiom.
The good
What the fable and the idiom emphasize is that integrity is of the utmost importance. Honesty is a virtue to strive for and one by which we should live our lives. The shepherd boy momentarily showed a lapse in judgment as he foolishly cried “Wolf! Wolf!” when he knew that there was no wolf. And, as the story goes, he did this time and time again until no one came running to rescue him or his sheep. (People’s hearing tends to get a bit dull when others spin half-truths as easily as they would spin wool; or, worse yet, when others tell out-and-out lies.)
The bad
Well, for Aesop’s shepherd boy, the story did not end well—at least not for the sheep. Too many cries of “Wolf!” ended in peril for at least one member of the flock. The lesson to be learned here is that people will no longer believe someone (or be less likely to believe them) when they finally do tell the truth), after they have told so many stories, half-truths, little white lies or worse. So, the moral of the story is simply this: Tell the truth.
And the ugly
Besides the ugly outcome for the shepherd boy and his sheep, there is, potentially, an ugly outcome if this idiom is misunderstood: some may think they should not cry “Wolf!” if they are not 100 per cent certain that there is a “wolf.” As a mother and grandmother, I have always affirmed the virtue of being honest … but I also believe it’s perfectly fine to cry “Wolf!” even if you are not absolutely certain that there is one.
Whatever you may decide about this idiom, remember this: Never run after a wolf! Don’t whistle at it. And don’t think I might be interested in a photo op! All kidding aside, let’s end this story well: Embrace honesty, tell the truth … and don’t be afraid to cry “Wolf!” if you need to.
