O Menino que Gritava Lobo

Havia um jovem rapaz que cuidava de ovelhas.

Dearest Gentle Reader,

O menino estava entediado.

In the quaint village of Meadowgrove, where the whispers of the wind carry tales as swiftly as any society paper, there resided a young boy named Timothy.

Ele queria se divertir.

Now, Timothy was not your ordinary lad; he possessed a spirit as lively as the ton's most scandalous gossip and an imagination that rivaled the most fanciful of debutantes.

Lobo!

Timothy, you see, was entrusted with the rather mundane task of tending to the village's sheep.

"Lobo!" ele gritou alto.

A duty, one might say, that did not quite match his flair for the dramatic.

"Um lobo está vindo para comer as ovelhas!" As pessoas na cidade o ouviram.

And so, our dear Timothy found himself in a predicament—how to entertain oneself whilst watching over a flock of rather uninteresting sheep?

Mas não havia lobo algum.

One sunny afternoon, as the villagers went about their daily affairs, a most alarming cry echoed through the meadows.

Lobo!

"Wolf!

"Eu estava apenas brincando", disse ele.

Wolf!" Timothy shouted, his voice filled with a terror that would make even the sturdiest of hearts flutter.

"Não há lobo nenhum."

The villagers, ever the dutiful neighbors, dropped their tasks and rushed to his aid, armed with pitchforks and brooms.

Eles caminharam de volta à cidade.

Alas, upon arriving at the scene, they found no wolf, but rather a grinning Timothy, quite pleased with his little ruse.

Forgive me," he said with a chuckle, "I merely sought to liven up the day.

"Forgive me," he said with a chuckle, "I merely sought to liven up the day."

Ele gritou: "Lobo!

The villagers, though slightly miffed, returned to their duties, shaking their heads at the boy's antics.

Socorro!

Days turned into weeks, and Timothy, finding the thrill of his first deception too tempting to resist, cried "Wolf!" once more.

O lobo está aqui!" Mais uma vez, as pessoas correram morro acima para ajudar.

Again, the villagers hurried to his side, only to find the mischievous lad laughing at their expense.

Mais uma vez, não havia lobo algum.

This time, their annoyance was palpable, and they warned him sternly against such foolishness.

"Você não tem graça", disseram as pessoas.

But Timothy, it seems, was not one to heed warnings.

Eles estavam muito zangados agora.

For a third time, he shouted, "Wolf!

Uma semana depois, um lobo verdadeiro apareceu.

Wolf!" Yet, this time, the villagers, weary of his tricks, paid him no mind.

O lobo era grande e faminto.

They continued with their chores, dismissing his cries as yet another attempt to stir excitement.

Lobo!

Little did they know, this time, Timothy's cries were genuine.

"Lobo!" gritou o menino.

A wolf, fierce and hungry, had indeed appeared, its eyes fixed on the helpless sheep.

"Por favor, me ajudem!"

Timothy, now truly frightened, called out in earnest, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

O lobo está realmente aqui!" Mas ninguém veio.

The villagers, having been fooled twice before, saw no reason to believe him now.

"Ele está mentindo de novo", disseram.

And so, dear reader, the wolf feasted on the poor sheep, leaving Timothy to face the consequences of his deceit.

"Não iremos." O lobo comeu muitas ovelhas.

The villagers, upon realizing their mistake, were filled with regret, but it was too late.

O menino chorou, mas já era tarde demais.

The damage had been done, and Timothy's credibility lay in tatters, much like the remnants of the sheep's wool.

O pastorinho aprendeu uma lição importante.

Thus, we are reminded, dear gentle reader, that honesty is the cornerstone of trust.

Ninguém acredita num mentiroso.

For once lost, it is a treasure most difficult to regain.

Mesmo quando ele diz a verdade.

Let Timothy's tale serve as a cautionary reminder that crying "Wolf!" when there is none may leave you quite alone when the real danger strikes.