The moral of the 'free the boy who cried wolf' story is that honesty is crucial. People around us have a limit to their patience with our false alarms. The boy's repeated lies made the villagers ignore his real cry for help. This story warns us that if we want others to believe us in times of real need, we must be truthful all the time. Otherwise, we might find ourselves alone and without assistance when we actually need it, just like the boy facing the wolf on his own.
Well, it's possible to come across free versions. Maybe some public libraries offer digital access for free. Also, some authors or publishers might release it for free promotion.
The main characters are the boy and the villagers. The boy is the one who cries wolf, and the villagers are the ones who respond to his cries at first but then stop believing him.
The story of the boy who cried wolf is a cautionary one. The boy plays a trick by falsely claiming a wolf is around. When a wolf truly appears, his previous lies make people ignore him. It shows the consequences of dishonesty.