Wolf Wars—Part 1

I am currently enrolled in an online course on fairy tales; which is exploring their origins, their sometimes subtle messages, their moral themes, and their deeper psychological revelations about what makes us human and how these viewpoints vary across cultures. The first fairy tale considered in the course is “Little Red Riding Hood.” Most of us who grew up in Western cultures are familiar with the story of this sweet, innocent, naive little girl. She is off on a walk through the dark forest, to take some nourishing provisions to her infirm grandmother, who dwells alone in a cottage in the woods. Along the way, Little Red encounters a wolf, who is up to no good, as is the habitual way of wolves.

There are various versions of Red's tale, due to it being an old story told orally and later written down, over the last several centuries. In some versions the wolf triumphs and delights in a monumental meal of both grandma and the cute little girl. In other versions the wolf is thwarted and dispatched by a passing hunter or wood chopper. In every version of “Little Red Riding Hood” the wolf is cast as the villain. He (and it's always a male) is the nasty beast who threatens the virtuous, sweet little girl and her frail grandmother.

As students in my online class exchange thoughts and reactions about the deeper emotions and feelings of this fairy tale, I began to wonder why they seem to have accepted, without question, the nefarious behavior of the wolf. Why is it that we read these tales of wolves' dreadful conduct and rarely question their veracity? How is it that the wolf is always cast as the evil one, and we willingly accept that depiction? The “big bad wolf” appears in countless stories. They are unquestionably depraved beasts. You can't trust them. The only good wolf is a dead wolf, etc.

It's interesting that the dog—descended from the wolf—is often regarded as “man's best friend,” while the wolf is cast as a perpetual enemy. A predatory male human is often depicted as a wolf, especially when he emits a wolf whistle or attempts to seduce an innocent lass. Werewolves in folklore are people who transform into wolves, especially at full moon, and commit various kinds of mayhem. There are countless movies, plays, and songs that demonize wolves—including other fairy tales such as “The Three Little Pigs.” Wolves don't get much sympathy, when they are perpetually preying on innocent little girls, helpless old ladies, and sweet, small swine.

Thankfully, we modern humans have begun to change the story, as some of us have come to value the role played by wolves in the ecosystem. In those locales where wolves have been largely eradicated, their prey have become overabundant and are damaging the environment. Deer, elk, and other large herbivores have been consuming valuable plants and saplings, causing erosion and allowing weeds and other invasive species to proliferate. In attempts to rebalance nature, wolves have been reintroduced into rural areas where they once ruled. As a result, in Yellowstone National Park, for example, introduced wolves are reducing the number of elk—which is permitting aspen groves to recover and streams to flow clear, as erosion is curtailed.

More on wolves next time...