The Boy who cried Gnoll

A well known fable in the Vierfront Province, warning of the danger of Gnolls. The fable is often told by the members of the Inquisition and followers of Vindicta.

There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Gnoll! Gnoll! I saw a Gnoll in the forest!" The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the gnoll away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no gnoll. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.
"Don't cry 'gnoll', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no gnoll!" They went grumbling back down the hill.
The next day, the boy saw a furred figure in the woods, he wasn't sure but he shouted anyway, "Gnoll! Gnoll! I saw a Gnoll in the forest!" He watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the gnoll away, but when they arrived, they saw only a hunter wearing a wolfs' pelt.
When the villagers saw no gnoll they sternly said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'gnoll' when there is NO gnoll!"
But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.
Later, he saw a REAL gnoll prowling about the village. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, "Gnoll! Gnoll!"
But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come.
At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him torn apart, his bones gnawed by savage teeth.

The lesson this fable imparts is to always remain vigilant, and never undesestimate the threats posed by the enemies of the Empire. Even the slightest suspicion of a threat needs to be investigated, for the safety of all to be ensured.