About

This is the story of Silas. Silas lives in a village, in a deep valley with his Mum and his Grandfather. The lives of people of the village all revolve around sheep, and more importantly wool. They shear the sheep and spin the wool, and all the long cold winter evenings, they knit. In the heart of every winter there is a big party in the village hall where there is a competition for the best jumper. Silas’s Mum is known to be the best knitter for miles around, but for some reason, she has never ever won the best jumper competition.

Although the village is all about sheep, the last thing that Silas wants to be is a shepherd. But his grandfather is getting old, and the time comes that Silas has to go up the mountain with the sheep to make sure they don’t wonder off, and to protect them from the wolves that roam the high peaks.

Sheep, though funny and friendly in many ways, aren’t the most interesting of company, and Silas wishes he was down in the village at the party with everyone else. One day he hears the people singing and dancing and he can’t bear it anymore and he shouts, ‘Wolf! Wolf!’ His Mum and his Grandfather come scrambling up the mountain, but when they get there, there is no sign of any wolves, and Silas is looking sheepish. His Grandfather is very serious with him and says, ‘Silas. No one believes a liar, even when they’re telling the truth.’

Well, winter ends and summer passes and it’s time for Silas to take the sheep up the mountain again. Silas is no happier about it than he was before and when he hears the people celebrating at the party, he can’t help wondering if his Mum has won the contest this time, and he shouts again, ‘Wolf! Wolf!’ Up the mountain come his Mum and his Grandfather- still no sign of wolves- again his Grandfather looks at him very seriously and says, ‘Silas. No one believes a liar, even when they’re telling the truth.’

Another summer passes, and another winter comes, and this time it’s a hard and snowy winter. Not only is it hard for the sheep to find food, but the harsh weather brings the hungry wolves down from the high peaks. Silas, sees them, snarling at the edge of the trees, “Wolf!’ He cries, ‘Wolf!’ For a moment he hears a pause in the sound of partying from the village hall. But then the sound continues, and no one comes. He is on his own, with the terrified sheep behind him, and the hungry wolves in front of him.

What can he do? Will he let the sheep be eaten by wolves? No, he can’t. Somehow he finds some bravery inside him. He stands up. He faces the wolves, and he defies them and scares them off, back into the forest.

When he gets home, he discovers that his Mum has won the competition for the best jumper. And it’s a jumper that fits Silas perfectly, and on the front it has a picture, telling the story of Silas, the boy who cried wolf, and saved the sheep!

Age suitability - 3+