# The Boy Who Cried Wolf

> Aesop’s fable

**Wikidata**: [Q1190945](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1190945)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_Who_Cried_Wolf)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-boy-who-cried-wolf

## Summary
The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a well-known fable attributed to Aesop, serving as a moral lesson about the consequences of lying. It is a specific entry within the larger collection of Aesop's Fables and is classified as a literary work that uses anthropomorphism to illustrate its message. The story is widely recognized by various titles, including "The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf," and is cataloged by scholars under identifiers such as Perry 210 and Halm 353.

## Key Facts
- **Primary Classification:** Literary work (class) intended for enjoyment or edification.
- **Genre:** Fable, defined as a short fictional story that anthropomorphises non-humans to illustrate a moral lesson.
- **Parent Collection:** A constituent part of "Aesop's Fables," a collection of fables credited to Aesop.
- **Alternate Titles:** The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf, Boy Who Cried Wolf, and "cry wolf."
- **Academic Cataloging:** Identified by the classification numbers Halm 353, Halm 353b, and Perry 210.
- **Wikipedia Title:** The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
- **Sitelink Count:** 37 (Entity), 20 (Literary Work), 112 (Fable), 70 (Aesop's Fables).

## FAQs
**What are the different names for The Boy Who Cried Wolf?**
The fable is known by several aliases, including "The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf," "Boy Who Cried Wolf," and the phrase "cry wolf." It is also cataloged academically as Halm 353, Halm 353b, and Perry 210.

**What type of story is The Boy Who Cried Wolf?**
It is a fable, which is a short fictional story that features anthropomorphised non-humans to convey a moral lesson. It falls under the broader class of literary works read for enjoyment or edification.

**Where is The Boy Who Cried Wolf found?**
The story is a specific component of "Aesop's Fables," which is a collection of stories credited to the storyteller Aesop.

## Why It Matters
The Boy Who Cried Wolf matters as a cultural touchstone that has defined the moral education of children for centuries. As a prominent entry in Aesop's Fables, it serves as a fundamental example of how short, anthropomorphic narratives can effectively communicate complex ethical concepts, such as the loss of credibility. Its continued relevance is evidenced by its widespread recognition under multiple titles and its extensive presence across various platforms, indicated by its sitelink count of 37.

## Notable For
- Being a classic example of the fable genre, utilizing anthropomorphism to teach a specific moral.
- Its inclusion in the canonical collection of Aesop's Fables.
- Possessing multiple academic cataloging identifiers, specifically Perry 210 and Halm 353/353b.
- Generating the idiom "cry wolf," which is used to describe false alarms.

## Body

### Classification and Definition
The Boy Who Cried Wolf is formally classified as a literary work, a category of written work intended to be read for enjoyment or edification. Within this classification, it is specifically categorized as a fable. A fable is defined as a short fictional story that anthropomorphises non-humans—giving them human characteristics—to illustrate a moral lesson. This entity is a distinct unit within the broader literary landscape, evidenced by its sitelink count of 37.

### Parent Collection and Context
The story exists as a component of "Aesop's Fables," a larger collection of fables credited to the ancient storyteller Aesop. This parent collection has a sitelink count of 70, reflecting its extensive documentation and cultural footprint. The relationship between the specific fable and the collection establishes the story's provenance and traditional context.

### Titles and Identifiers
The entity is known by multiple aliases and titles. The primary Wikipedia title is "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." Other common names include "The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf," "Boy Who Cried Wolf," and the idiomatic phrase "cry wolf." In academic and scholarly contexts, the fable is indexed under specific cataloging systems. It is identified as Perry 210 and appears in the Halm classification as Halm 353 and Halm 353b. These identifiers allow researchers and readers to locate the specific version or variant of the story within larger compendiums of classical literature.

## References

1. Babrius and Phaedrus
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [The Boy Who Cried Wolf | Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki | Fandom](https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/The_Boy_Who_Cried_Wolf)
4. [Motif-Index of Folk-Literature](https://sites.ualberta.ca/~urban/Projects/English/Content/j.htm)