The Boy Who Cried Hedgewolf (Classic) - Aesop-Inspired Fable for Kids

Beware of the horrifying hedgewolf! Or maybe beware the bored shepherd boy who decides to entertain himself by playing the same trick over and over again. When the mischievous youngster cries “Hedgewolf” not once, not twice, but three times, the townspeople come running to help. But what will happen to the far-fetched fibber when he finally needs their help for real? Will anyone listen?

This reimagined Aesop fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, is a Dorktales Classic.

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PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: In this retelling of the classic Aesop’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, young listeners explore the importance of honesty, trust, personal responsibility, and the consequences of their actions. The story encourages children to think about how trust is built, why truthfulness matters, and how their choices can affect others.

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY about a retelling of a favorite fable, we think you’ll also enjoy episode 22, The Lion and the Hedgehog: https://jonincharacter.com/lion-and-the-hedgehog/ 

CREDITS: This episode is a Jonincharacter production. It was written by Amy Thompson, produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks.

Visit the official Dorktales shop, Once Upon A Merch at dorktales-shop.fourthwall.com to find fun merch inspired by our podcast.

Transcript

Jonathan 0:01

Hello, Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormur, and you're listening to Dork Tales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture-loving grown-ups.

Theme Song 0:14

It's a beautiful day for a story, adventure, and glory, new friends and old ones too. It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tale, so let us regale

Redge is Bored

Theme Song 0:28

you.  

Jonathan 0:34

Once upon a time there was a young boy. I barely got the introductory sentence out.

Redge 0:45

And I am already snoring. See? Look at me. Snoring. Snore, snore, snore.

Jonathan 0:51

Come on, give me a chance.

Redge 0:53

Absolutely wish I could, Jonathan, but I'm sleeping. Sleep, sleep, sleep.

Jonathan 0:58

No, we're bickering.

Redge 1:00

No, I'm I'm snoozing. Snooze, snooze, snooze. Well, okay, I guess you're right.

Jonathan 1:08

Really?

Redge 1:09

Well, I always have my doubts.

Jonathan 1:11

Ah, but you just said I'm right. Honestly, I wish I had that recorded.

Redge 1:16

Well don't get used to it, Jonathan. It was a fluke.

Jonathan 1:20

Hey, I'll take the winds where I can get 'em. Thanks, Redge.

Redge 1:23

But

Jonathan 1:24

May I start the story now?

Redge 1:25

Ahh I guess so.

Jonathan 1:27

Thanks. So where was I? Oh yes. Once upon a time, there was a young shepherd boy in a little village.

Redge 1:35

That's supposed to intrigue me?

Jonathan 1:37

Uh just wait, Redge. You might relate to this.

Redge 1:41

Oh, and may I ask

Shepherd Boy Was Bored

Redge 1:43

how?  

Jonathan 1:44

Well, the shepherd boy was bored too.

Redge 1:48

Really?

Jonathan 1:49

Really? So bored that he often neglected his shepherding. He would sit on the hill above the valley and watch the sheep, but soon his eyes would begin to wander. He'd count the blades of grass.

Redge 2:01

Oh my.

Jonathan 2:02

Yeah, he'd point out the shapes in the clouds.

Shepherd Boy 2:06

Oh look! There's a pot of narwhals. Oh, and over there, Eeyore. Thanks for noticing me. Oh, and Scooby. Zoink Scoob! Like we're clouds! Yeah, Scooby-Dooby Doo

Redge 2:23

Uh Who would he point them out to?

Jonathan 2:26

Well nobody. He was all alone. Besides the grazing sheep.

Redge 2:30

Ugh. Sheep smell like a porridge of dry dung in July.

Jonathan 2:36

Wow. And gross. So one day, an idea popped into his head. He stood up and started running down the hill, shouting Wolf!

Shepherd Boy 2:47

Wolf! A wolf is coming to steal our sheep and harm our town.

Not Wolf... a Hedgewolf

Shepherd Boy 2:52 Redge 2:52

Oh really, uh snooze.

Jonathan 2:56

Redge, I thought we got past your drowsy dozing. Why are you interrupting again?

Redge 3:01

Well, my apologies, Jonathan. I'd love to venture beyond that point, but it's not the story that's boring me anymore. Now it's the villain.

Jonathan 3:12

The wolf?

Redge 3:14

Precisely. I simply cannot support a wolf being the scapegrace coistrel again. It's trite. The big bad wolf and the three little hedgehogs, the wolf who dressed like Ninja Granny in little red, and now this wolf in sheep's clothing.

Jonathan 3:33

Oh, Redge, you're being silly. And half the words you're saying are old English. If you just listen to the story, you'll soon see how this story is different.

Redge 3:47

I'd rather not, Jonathan. I find this wolf story repetitive and humdrum.

Jonathan 3:54

But wolves are terrifying. Their teeth and claws, their growl, their

Redge 4:02

Jonathan, that was a great impression. But no. I find I must put my paw down this time. I'm tired of wolves.

Jonathan 4:12

So you won't let me continue telling the story unless the villain is something other than a wolf.

Redge 4:18

Precisely.

Jonathan 4:20

And uh who, may I ask, would you rather the shepherd boy yells approaching the town? Who is scarier than a wolf?

Redge 4:28

A hedgewolf?

Jonathan 4:30

A hedge wolf.

Redge 4:32

What did did I stutter?

Jonathan 4:34

What's a what's a hedgewolf?

Redge 4:38

Oh, it's one of the most frightening creatures. Half mad hedgehog, half horrifying werewolf. It's one of the most underrepresented baddies of all lore. Mother hedgehogs used to warn all of their insolent little piglets to behave or risk incurring the wrath of the fearsome hedgewolf. Always got me into bed on time.

Jonathan 5:01

Hmm. Well, all my years of telling tales, and I've never even heard of a hedgewolf.

Redge 5:07

Oh, consider yourself lucky. I've had many sleepless nights due to fear.

Jonathan 5:14

Okay, so if I make the villain of this story a hedgewolf, you'll stop loudly falling asleep, and I can continue.

Redge 5:22

Well, I'm not a monster, Jonathan. A hedgewolf

Fib and Prank 1

Redge 5:26

is.  

Jonathan 5:27

Fine. Alright, where was I again? Oh yes, uh the shepherd boy was running down the hill, calling out to the town.

Shepherd Boy 5:35

Hedgewolf! Hedgewolf! A hedgewolf is coming to steal our sheep and harm our town!

Jonathan 5:42

That's what they do, right, Redge?

Redge 5:44

Hmm. Steal sheep, harm towns, trample gardens, peruse postage, yes.

Jonathan 5:50

Wait, hedgewolf steal mail?

Redge 5:52

Yes, among other inconveniences. Like stealing one's Netflix password.

Jonathan 5:58

Uh mind if I leave the less scary inconveniences out? This is getting complicated.

Redge 6:04

Fine, fine, my good man, but ineffective communication and purloining passwords are real fears that shouldn't be underestimated.

Jonathan 6:13

Right. Uh another time, Redge, another time. Because now the townspeople were up in arms. They came running to the shepherd boy, brandishing pitchforks and flaming torches. But as they reached the bottom of the hill, their angry faces softened into confusion. People's eyes started around, and their pace slowed. Where is the w hedgewolf?

Redge 6:36

Ah, good catch.

Jonathan 6:38

Thanks. Where's the hedge wolf? The not so angry but more confused mob asked the shepherd boy. But he couldn't answer. He was too busy slapping his knee and doubling over in giggling glee. The crowd began extinguishing their torches in the dirt. A couple people even walked away, but an old woman in the front spoke up.

Old Woman 6:59

You shouldn't lie about hedgewolves. One day you'll soon understand why.

Redge 7:07

Ooh, wow, ominous.

Jonathan 7:10

Yes, it was pretty scary, Redge. The Shepherd Boy watched as all of the villagers turned around and headed back into town. He wiped a tear from his eye.

Redge 7:20

From crying, from guilt?

Jonathan 7:23

Well no, because he had been laughing so hard. You see, the shepherd boy really didn't take the villagers' reactions or warnings to heart.

Redge 7:32

Well, that's unfortunate. Is that the story then?

Jonathan 7:36

Ah, there's more Redge.

Redge 7:37

Oh goodness.

Jonathan 7:39

Yep. The shepherd boy overlooked the woman's warning and continued to chuckle to himself as he walked home, guffawed as he put the sheep in their pen, and even snorted as he brushed his teeth before bed.

Redge 7:51

Ugh, probably spit toothpaste all over the bathroom doing that.

Jonathan 7:56

Yeah, most likely he had to wash the mirror. But he didn't care. In fact, the shepherd boy woke the next morning still amused about his prank. He kept thinking how clever he was and how silly he made those people look. All the way into the next afternoon as he sat on the hill and watched his flock of sheep graze in the valley. And then an idea came

Fib and Prank 2

Jonathan 8:19

to him.  

Redge 8:20

Oh not again.

Jonathan 8:21

Yes, again. The shepherd boy wanted to prank the town another time.

Redge 8:26

How rude!

Jonathan 8:28

Extremely.

Redge 8:29

He didn't have one moment of doubt.

Jonathan 8:32

Nope. The shepherd boy, having grown bored just thinking about his prank from the previous day, decided he'd do it again.

Redge 8:41

Now I'm starting to regret the hedge wolf suggestion.

Jonathan 8:44

Oh, why?

Redge 8:45

Well it's not a funny thing to shout. It's truly dangerous.

Jonathan 8:50

Well, so is crying wolf.

Redge 8:52

Boring!

Jonathan 8:53

Okay, okay. We're sticking with hedgewolf. Though I'm pretty sure that's not a real thing.

Redge 8:59

Keep saying that, and the hedge wolf will get you.

Jonathan 9:03

Ah, is that a threat, Reginald?

Redge 9:05

Well I don't control the devilish impulses of a half mad hedgehog, half werewolf.

Jonathan 9:12

Oh, that's too many halves. It's gotta be quarter mad hedge, which, by the way, is a plant, and then another quarter mad hog, a quarter wolf? Quarter human?

Redge 9:24

My lineage is not comprised of beings that are half shrubbery, half pig, nor human. You know what a hedgehog is, right?

Jonathan 9:34

I guess I assumed you'd tell me sometime.

Redge 9:37

It's called Google, Jonathan. Anyway, I'm a fairly common mammal on multiple continents. Distant cousin of the shrew, who has nothing to do with porcupines or pigs. My family just happens to live in lush gardens and have cute snouts. That's all. Nothing to be ashamed of. Anyway, weren't you telling some story that I was fact checking? We're not mathematicians. Let's stick to what we know, shall we?

Jonathan 10:08

That was enlightening. Thanks for sharing, Redge.

Redge 10:12

Well some poor soul's gotta do it.

Jonathan 10:15

So the shepherd boy was bored.

Redge 10:17

Again

Jonathan 10:18

Yes, bored again, just like you. And he was ready for a prank again, as he watched his sheep graze in the valley. So he called to the village.

Shepherd Boy 10:28

Hedgewolf! Hedgewolf! A hedgewolf is chasing my sheep!

Redge 10:33

The villagers won't fall for it another time.

Jonathan 10:36

But they did. The villagers came running with their pitchforks and torches. A mob of people ready to defend their town and livestock from the hedge wolf. But when they reached the shepherd boy, you guessed it, Redge, they saw no hedge wolf. Their faces quickly turned to anger, as they only saw the shepherd boy laughing at how they believed him again.

Shepherd Boy 11:00

Ha ha ha! Oh, you're all so gullible!

Jonathan 11:04

He taunted them as they angrily snuffed their torches and returned home. They weren't confused this time. This time they were angry with the boy. Before they left, the old woman stepped forward from the crowd.

Old Woman 11:18

I thought I warned you to stop crying Hedgewolf, Shepherd Boy. No good can come from this.

Shepherd Boy 11:26

Ha! You foolish woman! The sheep are fine, and the town is fine. I'm just having a laugh. Get over it.

Redge 11:35

Sounds like the shepherd boy needs a nap and an attitude adjustment.

Jonathan 11:40

He really does. But that's not what he did.

Redge 11:44

Oh let me guess. He dismissed the old lady, went home chuckling, and laughed his way through dinner.

Jonathan 11:51

Yep. And for dinner that night, they had soup. So it was messy.

Redge 11:58

And then he probably laughed his way through brushing his teeth and readying for bed too.

Jonathan 12:05

Toothpaste everywhere.

Redge 12:07

Oh tell me I'm wrong, Jonathan, but did he wake up the next morning still laughing about his prank?

Jonathan 12:14

Sorry to say it, Redge, he did. The shepherd boy was very proud of his joke. So proud that the next day, as his flock grazed in the field, he began to tire of counting blades of grass or finding shapes in clouds.

Prank 3 Backfires

Jonathan 12:29 Redge 12:29

Oh no, not again.

Shepherd Boy 12:33

Again! I'll do it again.

Redge 12:36

Oh I wish I could just shake some sense into him.

Jonathan 12:40

But you can't, and he was all alone on that hill. No warnings from the old woman stuck. So the young shepherd boy stood up on the hill, looking down at his flock of sheep, filled his lungs with air, and then he saw something peculiar.

Redge 13:01

What?

Jonathan 13:02

The sheep were running. The shepherd's flock was clearly scared of something. Was it a hawk? No, the skies were clear. Was it a snake? No, the sheep could sidestep a tiny snake.

Redge 13:18

What was it?

Jonathan 13:19

There was a big, shadowy figure looming over the flock of terrified sheep. It had big fangs like a wolf, but it stood on hind legs like a human.

Redge 13:33

A werewolf?

Jonathan 13:34

But it also had spines up and down its back like a porcupine and a cute snout like a shrew.

Redge 13:44

No!

Jonathan 13:45

Yes, an actual hedge wolf was coming for the shepherd boy's flock

Redge 14:01

Oh this is terrifying. I've got goosebumps.

Jonathan 14:06

Not bored any more, Redge?

Redge 14:08

Oh goodness no. Keep going, but also hold me close

Jonathan 14:14

Okay, Reg. Hop into my arms. Ow

Redge 14:20

Oh sorry, my quills are a defense mechanism. And I'm quite afraid right now.

Jonathan 14:28

Oh it's uh Ah it's okay. I wish I had worn gloves. But uh back to the story. The hedge wolf was there, in the valley below the shepherd, chasing his sheep, and once he ate them, there was no doubt he'd move on to the townspeople. The shepherd had to warn everyone.

Redge 14:50

But

Jonathan 14:51

Exactly, but is right. But when the young shepherd called out to the town at the top of his lungs,

Shepherd Boy 14:59

Hedgewolf! Hedgewolf! A hedgewolf is attacking my sheep, and soon will come for the town.

Jonathan 15:06

Nobody came to his aid.

Redge 15:10

Oh, what a shame for the poor lad!

Jonathan 15:13

Such a shame. The old lady's warning had come true. When the townspeople heard his calls, they thought he was playing a trick on them again. So they didn't rush to his side, and the shepherd boy had no other choice than to hide in a tree at the top of the hill. However, when the day came to an end and the villagers saw that no sheep or shepherd boy had come home for supper, they began to worry.

Redge 15:40

Ooh, because he wasn't tossing his soup everywhere, or expectorating toothpaste all over the mirror?

Jonathan 15:48

Exactly. The shepherd boy's mother was quite worried, so she gathered the townspeople and searched for him in the dark. They went to the field and saw the flock of sheep had scattered. There were only a few shaking sheep surrounded by hoof prints in the mud, and next to them large paw prints with massive claws.

Old Woman 16:09

It's happened just like I warned him.

Jonathan 16:14

The old woman led the group with their torches up the hill, to where they knew the shepherd boy watched his flock. From his spot in the tree, he saw their torches nearing, so he climbed down to meet them. His knees and hands were scraped, clearly from a scramble up the tree, and his face was streaked with dry tears.

Redge 16:34

What a lesson for the chap.

Jonathan 16:36

Almost. When the boy approached the crowd, he shouted at them.

Shepherd Boy 16:42

It was true, it was true. The hedge wolf was really here, and he scared away the sheep. I think it ate one. I thought it was going to head to the town after.

Jonathan 16:54

The old woman stepped forward.

Old Woman 16:57

Well, I'm very grateful it didn't.

Shepherd Boy 17:02

But nobody came for me when I called.

Jonathan 17:05

The group turned and made their way back to the safety of town. The boy was confused and angry as they trudged home.

Shepherd Boy 17:14

Why did nobody hear me? he said to the old woman.

Old Woman 17:19

Because nobody believes a liar. Even when they're telling the truth.

Redge Admits His Fib

Old Woman 17:26 Jonathan 17:26

And that's the lesson of the story. What do you think, Redge?

Redge 17:31

Oh terrifying.

Jonathan 17:34

I know.

Redge 17:35

The boy performed pranks so often that the townspeople thought he never told the truth. So when he finally said something honest, he was not believed. Oh I will never lie again.

Jonathan 17:49

Well, good. That is the lesson of the story. Still bored?

Redge 17:55

No, Jonathan, I must admit, but I won't be able to sleep tonight. I'm too scared.

Jonathan 18:02

Ah, don't worry, Redge. If you call for help, I'll believe you and come running.

Redge 18:09

Well, good sir. I'm not quite sure you should. See I kind of fibbed.

Jonathan 18:17

Fibbed?

Redge 18:19

Well, there's no such thing as a hedge wolf.

Jonathan 18:24

Aha! I knew

Credits, How to Reach Us

Jonathan 18:26

it.   This has been a Jon in Character production. Today's story was written by Amy Thompson, edited by Molly Murphy, and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studios. Reach out to us on Instagram or email us at DorkTalestorytime at gmail.com. Find links in the show notes or go to DorkTalesStorytime.com. Now, go be the hero of your own story, and we'll see you next once upon a time.