This is the story of the shepherd who never lied. Once upon a time there was a man who owned a large herd. It was cared for by a shepherd who had a reputation for always telling the truth.
The shepherd who never lied
One day when the shepherd came down from the mountain, his master asked him:
- How are the cows doing?
- Some are fat, others lanky.
- And the proud bull?
- Plump and gorgeous.
- And the pasture?
- Very green in places and dry in others.
- What about stream water?
- Cloudy here and clear elsewhere.
One day the farmer went to the pasture. Along the way, he met one of his friends who was also going to see his herd.
- Why do we call your shepherd, "the man who never lies"?
- Because he never told a single lie.
- I will make him say one.
- It's impossible.
- What are we betting?
- Half of each of our farms.
- Bet concluded.
The farmer's friend used all possible means to make the shepherd lie. One day he went hunting in a place that could be observed from the pasture guarded by the shepherd who never lied. When night came, his master asked him in front of his friend:
- Has anyone gone hunting in the mountains today?
- I will tell you my master: over there, far in the meadow, I saw a man or a woman mounted on a horse or on a mare; he had a rifle or a gun and his dog or his female dog was running after a fox or a vixen.
We were approaching the day when the bet ended. One morning, the gambler friend's daughter, a very pretty young lady of twenty, mounted her horse and, without saying a word to her father, went to the pasture where the shepherd was.
When night fell, the young girl returned and gave her father the heart of the proud bull, wrapped in fern leaves.
The friend came to tell the farmer that his shepherd had killed the proud bull.
The next day, the shepherd came down from the mountain, planted his stick in the ground, put his cape and his hat on it and said to him:
- Staff, you are my master; ask me questions.
- How are the cows doing?
- Some are fat, others lanky.
- And the proud bull?
- He charged at me and I had to silence him.
He grabbed his stick, thrust it further, and repeated his questions.
He arrived at his master's house, hung his bag on a nail and sat down. He was called to come into the room where the farmer, his friend and a few men were gathered. In their presence, the master asks:
- How are the cows doing?
- Some are fat, others lanky.
- And the proud bull?
The shepherd let his head fall back on his chest without answering.
- And the proud bull? asked the farmer again.
The shepherd raised his head; he stared at the assistants one by one and said:
- For the beautiful eyes of a brunette and a harmonious body, The proud bull lost his heart.
His master jumped up and exclaimed:
- Cheer ! Long live my boy! The cow that gave birth to this bull will make a new one.
He took him in his arms. And his master's friend gave him his daughter in marriage.
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