For a long time it was considered that they were completely extinct, and today there are about 1.200 wolves living in German forests. The media regularly report on them. Some see them as a success in protecting endangered species, but there are also reports of attacks on domestic animals and walkers. It seems that the return of the wolf to the German forests awakened ancient fears but also people's respect for this animal. The age-old fascination with the wolf is reflected in stories, myths and characters from fairy tales.
Lupa, good wolf
Almost everyone knows the myth about Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, according to which they were raised by the she-wolf Lupa. The twins were born by Rhea Silvia, the daughter of King Numitor who was overthrown by his brother Amulius in the ancient city of Alba Longa near Rome.
The new king was afraid that the twins, whose father was the god of war Mars, would become a danger to the throne. He ordered them to be drowned in the Tiber. The boys survived and were found by the she-wolf Lupa, who looked after them until they were adopted by a shepherd.
Fenrir
Fenrir Suri is a character from the Harry Potter novels. But Fenrir is a mythical phenomenon and is much older. He is the son of the Norse god of fire and trickery Loki and the giant Angrboda. Fenrir had a huge appetite, the gods were afraid of his gluttony and strength, so they began to tie him to a tree. When he was freed, he killed Odin, the god of war and wisdom. That is why in Norse mythology, Fenrir is a symbol of the downfall of gods and giants.
Although he was killed by one wolf, Odin had two of his faithful wolves named Geri and Freki.
Aesop's Wolf
Aesop probably lived in the 6th century BC. Various legends are told about his life. His fables - stories about animals that have human characteristics - are read to this day. In Aesop's fables, the wolf appears as an evil and cunning beast. For example, he covers himself with a lambskin to lure human prey. Hence the saying "wolf in lamb's clothing".
Japanese wolf gods
The indigenous people of Japan, the Ainu on the island of Hokkaido, consider the wolf a "little howling god." These early inhabitants of Japan were known to raise a wolf pup as a hunting companion. According to legend, wolves came down from the sky to inhabit the sacred hills and forests. There is also a legend that a woman was saved from a bear by a wolf.
The modernization of Japan since the beginning of the 20th century also brought about the oblivion of these stories, and the wolves died out in those regions. Efforts are currently being made to repopulate wolves in their old habitats.
Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
"Grandma, grandma, why do you have such a big mouth?" asked Little Red Riding Hood. "I'd rather eat you!" exclaimed the wolf and swallowed Little Red Riding Hood. One of the most famous fairy tales is exactly that - about a little girl who goes to visit her grandmother and finds a wolf instead. This story was circulating in European nations before it was published in 1697. written down in French by Charles Perrault, and the most famous version was written down by the Brothers Grimm in 1812.
Werewolf
There is an interpretation that the belief in the transformation of a man into a wolf originated in the Epic of Gilgamesh. There it is mentioned that Gilgamesh leaves a woman because she turned her former partner into a wolf.
In Greek mythology, more precisely in the legend of Lycaon, the main hero angered the supreme god Zeus so much by offering him the remains of a sacrificed young man as food, that Zeus turned him and his sons into wolves. That is why the scientific name for the werewolf – Lycanthrope – is derived from his name.
The werewolf is also mentioned in the Norse sagas. A young man and his father find a place where they can turn into a beast. To this day, man is fascinated by the story of the werewolf. This is evidenced by the successful films "American Werewolf in London" (1981), "Wolf" starring Jack Nicholson (1994) or "Werewolves Within 2021".
Harry Potter fans surely remember Fenrir the Grim, the werewolf who bit Remus John Lupin, a friend of Harry's father, into a werewolf when he was a child. Unlike Fenrir, Remus is a "good" werewolf, who stays away from humans during the full moon and only uses his strength for good deeds.
Akela from The Jungle Book
Rudyard Kipling created the character of Mowgli, an Indian boy who grew up in the jungle with wolves. The wolf Akela and his she-wolf found a baby in the jungle and began to care for it. The boy's enemy is the tiger Shir-Kan, and the wolf Akela dies in defense of the child.
"canis dirus" – dire wolf
In the series Game of Thrones, the prehistoric animal became famous as a symbol of the Nordic ruling family Stark. Scientists believe that the "terrible wolf" is not the ancestor of the wolf, as was long assumed, but that the family line goes to the dog. This species lived 2,5 million years ago in the Pleistocene.
Peppa Pig and the Wolf
Do you remember the story where the wolf wants to blow down the houses of the three little pigs? In the Peppa Pig cartoon, there is a milder version of that wolf, whose father likes to tell jokes about wolves and piggies.
It is certainly worth mentioning the ancient Egyptian god Upuaut, who was depicted with a wolf's head. Of course, there are many other wolf forms that have captured the human imagination since time immemorial.
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