The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.

Albert Einstein

Wolf! wolf!

A long time ago there was a boy who watched his father’s sheep. Each day he took them to a pasture on the hillside above the village, and there he sat and watched them all day long. In the afternoon, as the sun began to go down, he drove the sheep home again. Often he would become quite lonely, because he had no one to play with. How he longed for just a little bit of company. One day, when he was feeling very lonely indeed, he remembered what his father had told him when he first began to care for the sheep. You must always beware of the wolf, his father has said. And if you should see one, be sure to call for help. Now the boy had never seen a wolf. But he thought that it would be so pleasant to have some company that he decided to make-believe. Wolf, wolf. Far below, the villagers heard him. They all dropped their work, seized their axes, and rushed up to the pasture. But, when they got there , they saw only the sheep and the boy. There was no wolf at all. He was so glad to see them that they were not very angry at him for having fooled them.But they told him that he must not do it again. And for a long time he did not. One day, though, he was feeling lonelier than ever. He knew that he should not , but he cried out, as loudly as he could. Wolf! wolf! And again the villagers came rushing to help him. But , when they got there , they saw only the sheep and the boy, and no wolf at all. He was very glad to see them, but some of them were quite angry, this time at having been fooled. They told him that he must not do it again. And he did not. One day as he sat quietly watching his sheep, he saw a big gray wolf come slinking out of the forest. Wolf! wolf! He called with all his might. Wolf!wolf! The villagers , far below , heard his cries, but  went on with their work. They did not want to be fooled again. Wolf! wolf! Cried the boy. Wolf! wolf!  Cried the boy. Wolf, wolf. At this the villagers were startled. Perhaps  he did need help. And they dropped their work, seized their axes and rushed to the pasture. But they were  too late. When they got there the wolf had gone, and all they ever found of the little boy was his pointed shepherd’s hat.