The relationship between wolves and humans is old and complex. It oscillates between hostility and cooperation and eventually results in domestication as dogs. In Norse mythology, wolves were a powerful force destined to bring about the end of the world. To scientists today, wolves offer an invaluable window into the complexities of mammalian physiology, as they possess strong hearts and lungs capable of sustained physical exertion, efficient elongated limbs and flexible spines, and behavior patterns that resemble human behavior in terms of instinct, emotion, and social cohesion. In literature and film, wolves have long remained symbols of mystery and danger, as taken up years ago by H.H. Munro (Saki) in his amusing short stories.

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High up in the Carpathian Mountains lies the town of Cernogratz, so high that that it is not to be found on any known map, but only in Mr. Munro’s imagination. A family had owned a medieval castle at that location, which was later acquired by bankers from Hamburg. One day at dinner, the new lady of the house said she had heard a legend that upon the death of a member of the former owners of the castle, all the dogs in the village would bark, a tree would fall down, and the wolves of the forest would come and howl all night. What a ridiculous story!

But the old governess, who went by the name of Schmidt and usually kept silent, suddenly became agitated and surprised everyone by announcing that she was in fact the last survivor of the ancient family and that it was only for her, and for nobody else, that wolves would come and howl all night. The bankers were indignant at their old maid’s impertinence and decided the time had come to fire her, perhaps after Christmas, when all the guests would have left.

A few days later, in the evening, the small family dog suddenly jumped off his usual place in the dining room and hid whimpering in the kitchen. Angry dogs were heard barking in the village. The old governess was found dead in her bedroom; hundreds of wolves came howling from the forests and descended upon the village; a huge ancient tree came crashing down in the night.

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Also in the Carpathian Mountains had long lived the neighboring families of Ulrich von Gradwitz and of Georg Znaeym in bitter hatred because of a disputed piece of land. One night, the two enemies met at the border of their properties. They were full of hatred and carried guns. A severe storm broke out, causing a large tree to fall and trap both individuals, each by an arm. Hours went by. “Could you hand me that bottle of wine lying beyond my reach?” said one of them. They eventually drank from the same bottle. They talked. They realized that this whole dispute was silly and unnecessary. They decided that from then onwards, they would be friends.

It was getting dark. There were sounds in the distance. Each man thought that his men were on the way. Some nine or ten of them could be seen in the distance. They approache. But they were not Gradwitz men. Nor did they belong to Znaeym. They were hungry wolves.

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Another Saki story involving a wolf features a young man who had previously traveled to the Ural Mountains and became known for his knowledge of Siberian magic. At a dinner party, the hostess Mary asked him to turn her into a wolf, a she-wolf of course, because she did not want to also change her sex. The young man conspired with a friend who had a bizarre collection of animals and eventually lends him a toothless, benign old wolf. Panic and dismay reigns in the dining room, especially as the two men had locked the door from the inside so that Mary could not come in from the garden. The situation only gets under control when at last Mary manages to open the door and prove that she has not been turned by Siberian magic into a she-wolf.

Reference

The Short Stories of Saki (H.H. Munro). New York: Modern Library.