Every morning, Mr. Ben opened his little shop, letting the smell of fresh bread spread through the village. Children, sleepy and with messy hair, would come out of their houses, drawn by the delicious smell.

Ella and her brother Sam left their house with pockets full of bread rolls from their mother. They ran past Mr. Ben’s shop, waving at him.

"Be careful today, children," Mr. Ben said. "I hear there’s a wolf near the forest!"

Ella laughed, "Don’t worry, Mr. Ben. We’re staying close to the village!"

As they walked, they saw Old Man Joe sitting on his usual bench, feeding the birds. Joe had lived in the village for a long time. He was known for his stories and advice, though the kids sometimes thought he was too serious.

"Good morning, Old Man Joe!" Sam called.

"Morning, kids!" Joe replied with a smile. "Remember, never tell lies. Once you start, it’s hard to stop."

Ella rolled her eyes. "We know, Joe! We always tell the truth."

When they reached the edge of the village, they saw Peter, a boy their age, standing by a tall oak tree. Peter was the shepherd boy, responsible for the village’s sheep. Each day, he took the sheep to the green pastures near the forest and brought them back in the evening.

Peter was bored. Watching the sheep eat grass every day was dull. He wanted something more exciting to happen.

When Sam and Ella came over, Peter grinned. "You won’t believe what I saw in the forest!" he said.

Ella looked curious. "What did you see?"

"A big, scary wolf! It had sharp teeth and glowing eyes. It almost caught one of the sheep, but I scared it away!" Peter said excitedly.

Sam was shocked. "Really? Did you tell anyone?"

Peter shook his head. "Not yet, but I might call for help if it comes back."

Ella frowned. "Are you sure you’re not making this up?"

Peter laughed. "Of course not! You’ll see."

Later, Peter climbed a hill and shouted, "Wolf! Wolf! There’s a wolf attacking the sheep!"

The villagers, hearing his shout, ran up the hill to help. Mr. Ben, Old Man Joe, Sam, and Ella were among the first to arrive.

But when they got there, they found Peter laughing. The sheep were grazing calmly, and there was no wolf.

"Peter, this isn’t funny!" Mr. Ben said. "You shouldn’t lie about something so serious."

Old Man Joe shook his head. "One day, you’ll need help, and no one will believe you."

Peter shrugged. "It was just a joke."

The next day, Peter was bored again. He shouted, "Wolf! Wolf! Help, there’s a wolf!"

Again, the villagers rushed up the hill, only to find Peter laughing. The sheep were fine, and there was no wolf.

The villagers were upset. "If you keep lying, Peter, we won’t believe you even if there is a real wolf!" Sam said.

Peter waved them off. "You all worry too much."

Then, on the third day, Peter heard rustling in the bushes. A real wolf came out from the forest with sharp teeth. The wolf attacked the sheep, and Peter shouted, "Wolf! Wolf! Please, someone help me!"

But down in the village, no one came. They remembered how Peter had tricked them before and didn’t want to be fooled again.

Peter was scared and tried to chase the wolf away, but it was too strong. The wolf took one of the sheep, and Peter couldn’t stop it.

When Peter went back to the village, he was upset and ashamed. The villagers saw he was really upset this time and realized he was telling the truth. Old Man Joe walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Peter, do you understand now?" Joe asked.

Peter nodded.

Joe said, "Lying might seem funny, but it can hurt others. It also makes it hard for people to trust you when you really need help."

Peter looked up, feeling sorry. "I’m sorry. I’ll never lie again."

The villagers forgave Peter, but they reminded him every day about the importance of honesty. Peter kept his promise and became known as the most trustworthy boy in the village. He learned that even small lies can lead to big problems, and that telling the truth is very important.

From then on, Peter took care of the sheep with a new sense of responsibility. The village went back to its peaceful routine, with everyone valuing trust and honesty in their close-knit community.

Moral of the Story:
Honesty is important. Lies can cause big problems, especially when people lose trust in you. Always be truthful, so others will trust you when you really need help.