Wolves indeed have a central place in the folklore of cultures from the North American Arctic to the Indian jungle to the Chinese tropics.

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1 This website would like to remind you: Your browser (Apple Safari 4) is out of date. Update your browser for more security, comfort and the best experience on this site. Photo MEDIA SPOTLIGHT Educator Version Wolves at the Door All stories are about wolves. All worth repeating, that is. For the complete photos with media resources, visit: All stories are about wolves. All worth repeating, that is... Think about it. There's escaping from the wolves, fighting the wolves, capturing the wolves, taming the wolves. Being thrown to the wolves, or throwing others to the wolves so the wolves will eat them instead of you. Running with the wolf pack. Turning into a wolf. Best of all, turning into the head wolf. No other decent stories exist. Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin Wolves indeed have a central place in the folklore of cultures from the North American Arctic to the Indian jungle to the Chinese tropics. The roles of wolves in mythology are diverse, and include the Big, Bad Wolf, the wise hunter, and the fiercely wild animal. These roles are called archetypes. Archetype: Big Bad Wolf The legend of the evil wolf stretches nearly as far back as recorded history. Fenrir, a giant wolf, is one of the most terrifying figures in Norse mythology, for instance. Fenrir is a monster that threatens the worlds of humans, gods, and giants. The gods could only trap Fenrir with magic chains, kilometers beneath the earth. A giant sword propped between his jaws keeps him from biting. The sly, villainous nature of the evil wolf archetype can also be found in The Wolf of Zhongshan, a fairy tale from southern China. In the story, a wolf pleads with a scholar to help him escape hunters. The scholar hides the wolf in his bookbag, saving its life. Later, the wolf asks for another favor for the scholar to give up his life to save the wolf from starvation. The scholar consults both human and natural communities to judge if this is fair. Plants and animals, thoughtlessly used by human society, side with the wolf. Farmers side with the scholar, and doubt such a fearsome creature could even fit in a bookbag in the first place. The wolf proves the story is true by again crawling into the scholar s bag. The farmers, recognizing the wolf as one that terrorized their community, beat the wolf to death. The most familiar evil wolf archetype, of course, is the Big Bad Wolf himself. In The Three Little Pigs, this villain represents a threat to a community. The Big Bad Wolf preys on the weakest members of the group, and the pigs only survive with hard work and unity. In Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf is a threat to the family, targeting both a young girl and her aged grandmother. Archetype: Wise Wolf The wise wolf archetype finds some of its most colorful representations in Native American communities. Chibiabos, for example, is a great wolf-spirit in Algonquin mythology. Chibiabos is considered a fair and kind ruler of the land of the dead. 1 of 5

2 The wise wolf s association with the underworld is also present in the mythology of the Pawnee, themselves nicknamed the Wolf People. The Pawnee call the Milky Way, our galaxy, the Wolf Road. Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, is the Wolf Star. The nightly appearance of Sirius, and its disappearance with the dawn, is symbolic of the cycle of life and death throughout the animal community. A world away, Romulus and Remus, the mythic founders of the Eternal City of Rome, Italy, were famously saved by a wolf. Abandoned by their parents, a wolf allowed the twins to nurse on it until a friendly woodpecker (and, later, human stepparents) provided food for the infants. Ancient stories associate the (allegedly) protective nature of the Roman Empire to the wolf nurturing Romulus and Remus. Archetype: Wild Wolf The untamed nature of the wild wolf is another popular archetype. Mowgli, the orphan boy raised by a wolf pack in British author Rudyard Kipling s The Jungle Book, grows to be an honorable, thoughtful young man. Ultimately, however, he must abandon his wolf family and wild instincts in order to adapt to the rules and structure of civilization. In the musical fairy tale "Peter and the Wolf," by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, it s the wolf that must adapt to civilization. In the story, each character is represented by a different musical instrument and melody. Powerful French horns playing a tune in a minor key are the wolf. Peter (represented by stringed instruments such as violins and cellos) saves the wolf from hunters... but the wolf must spend the rest of his life in a zoo, never again wild and free. Instructional Ideas Consult National Geography Standard 10.1 (8th grade): There are many different cultures, each with its own distinctive characteristics. Therefore, the student is able to compare the cultural characteristics of different cultures. Discuss the role of wolf archetypes in different cultures. Why do students think the wolf can represent such dissimilar concepts? The role of wolves in mythology often has to do with the society creating the myth. Agricultural societies may be more likely to view the wolf as a sinister figure a threat to livestock and settlements. Societies based on hunting might tend to view the wolf as a resourceful and respected fellow hunter. FAST FACTS Evil Wolf Archetype: The wolf in sheep s clothing is a Biblical metaphor for a manipulative, lying person. The wolf, a traditional predator of sheep, pretends to be a sheep. Allowed into the flock, the wolf preys on the vulnerable sheep. Wild Wolf Archetype: Morrigan, a goddess in Irish mythology, is sometimes depicted as a wolf. Morrigan is a goddess of independence and sovereignty. In her wolf form, she is a threat to livestock and a defender of her territory. Wise Wolf Archetype: In Japan, wolves are often mountain-spirits who are excellent judges of character. With their unique eyebrows, they are able to see good and bad characteristics. (People with negative characteristics are usually animals taking human form.) Evil Wolf Archetype: In Europe, the fearful legend of werewolves can be traced as far back as ancient Greece. Lycaon was a king who killed a man and served his flesh to Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus punished Lycaon by turning him into a wolf, and the mythical concept of people transforming into wolves took on his name lycanthropy. Wise Wolf Archetype: Many myths trace the ancestry of the Turkic people to the wolf Asena. Asena gave birth to a litter of half-wolf, half-human male cubs who became the Turks. Wild Wolf Archetype: Vuk (wolf in Serbian), and variations such as Vukasin and Vukan, are common men s names in Serbia. This may date from an ancient tradition blaming infant mortality on witches who were afraid to attack wolves. VOCABULARY 2 of 5

3 Term Part of Speech Definition abandoned adjective deserted. adapt verb to adjust to new surroundings or a new situation. Algonquin wide collection of cultures and people speaking a common language group, originally native to what is now northeastern and central Canada and the United States. alleged adjective supposed or presumed. archetype recurring cultural symbol. Arctic region at Earth's extreme north, encompassed by the Arctic Circle. civilization complex way of life that developed as humans began to develop urban settlements. community group of organisms or a social group interacting in a specific region under similar environmental conditions. composer a person who writes music. constellation group of stars that form a recognizable shape. consult verb to seek advice from a trusted source. culture learned behavior of people, including their languages, belief systems, social structures, institutions, and material goods. dawn first appearance of daylight in the morning. earth soil or dirt. escape verb to get away. eternal adjective lasting forever. fairy tale folk story often involving magic or supernatural creatures, such as elves or dragons. family group of organisms that come from the same ancestors and share similar characteristics. Family is also a classification in chemistry and math. farmer person who cultivates land and raises crops. fierce adjective wild or savage. folklore traditional stories and legends associated with a people, place, or idea. found verb to start or establish something. galaxy collection of stars, planets, gases, and other celestial bodies bound together by gravity. honorable adjective fair, of good character, and respected. hunt verb to pursue and kill an animal, usually for food. instinct natural motivation or behavior. instrument device for making musical sounds. jungle tropical ecosystem filled with trees and underbrush. legend traditional or mythical story. melody main part of a song or other musical composition. Milky Way galaxy in which the Earth and sun are located. 3 of 5

4 Milky Way galaxy in which the Earth and sun are located. myth legend or traditional story. Native American Norse mythology person whose ancestors were native inhabitants of North or South America. Native American usually does not include Eskimo or Hawaiian people. stories, traditions, and beliefs of ancient Scandinavia. nurse verb to breastfeed. orphan child with no parents. pack group of animals, usually arranged in a family-like structure. Pawnee people and culture native to what is today the U.S. states of Nebraska and northern Kansas. plead verb to beg or sincerely appeal to someone for something. prey animal that is hunted and eaten by other animals. prop verb to support and prevent from falling. represent verb to stand for a person, community, or idea. Roman Empire (27 BCE-476 CE) period in the history of ancient Rome when the state was ruled by an emperor. scholar educated person. Sirius brightest star in Earth's sky, in the constellation Canis Major. Also called the Dog Star. sly adjective cunning, wily, and shrewd. society large community, linked through similarities or relationships. star large ball of gas and plasma that radiates energy through nuclear fusion, such as the sun. starvation dying from lack of food. structure system of organization. symbolic adjective serving as a representation of something. tame verb to domesticate or make useful for humans. terrify verb to scare. terrorize verb to cause deep fear. threaten verb to scare or be a source of danger. tropics plural region generally located between the Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2 degrees north of the Equator) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23 1/2 degrees south of the Equator). underworld mythical or legendary place for the souls of the dead. unity togetherness. villain antagonist or evil character in a story. zoo place where animals are kept for exhibition. 4 of 5

5 For Further Exploration Articles & Profiles National Geographic Magazine: Guardians of the Fairy Tale The Brothers Grimm Worksheets & Handouts Breakthru Films: Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf A Family Resource Pack Video Walt Disney Company: The Three Little Wolves Walt Disney Company: The Three Little Pigs National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. 5 of 5