The Boy Who Cried Wolf

A liar discovers, too late, that nobody believes them when the threat is real.

Origin

An Aesop fable. A shepherd boy entertains himself by falsely shouting that a wolf is attacking his flock. The villagers come running each time; each time he laughs at them. When a wolf actually appears, his cries are ignored. The flock is eaten — in some versions, the boy too.

Modern usage

Standard accusation in journalism and politics for officials, pundits, or institutions who lose credibility after one too many false alarms — 'they cried wolf so many times no one listened when it mattered.' Often invoked alongside [[cassandra]], which is the inverse problem.

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