Why Wolves Howl

I am a fan of myths; and for this post, I have decided to write my very first myth:

Once upon a time, there lived two wolves – a mother and her child.

For days, the mother had been trying to feed her child.

And for days, she could hardly find any prey.

The mother wolf couldn’t bare to watch her child starve to death, so she went to find food.

The mother wolf wandered for hours but did not find any prey.

“Come here, mother wolf,” called a hunter from behind a brush.

“There’s meat for you here, so come and get it.”

The mother wolf picked up her pace.

And with her claws ready, she plunged onto the hunter.

Terrified, the hunter fled.

With excitement, the mother wolf came home with her prize.

Wandering around, the hunter found the little wolf lying at the opening of a cave.

Taking out a morsel of dried meat, the hunter tried to lure the little wolf out.

And the little one would trust and come to him.

Then the hunter cut out a leather strap and tied it around the little one’s neck.

Weak and vulnerable, the little one helplessly gave in.

Leaving the mountain, the hunter took the little wolf with him.

Day after day, the mother wolf wandered around the mountain, looking for her son.

Night after night, she slept alone.

One night, looking at the moon, she howled for help.

Every night since then, she howled at the moon, hoping that it would answer, hoping that her voice will reach her son, and hoping that he would someday return.

The little one, however, never came back.

But since then, the mother wolf’s grudge against human grew deeper and deeper.

A few months had passed and winter season settled in.

The sky had been covered in dark and heavy clouds, and snow started to fall.

Every passing day, the mother grew weaker and weaker.

And every passing day, more and more animals invaded her home.

She lost her child; she lost her home.

After wandering in the cold for days, the mother wolf stopped in front of a house.

The owner, a man, took her in.

First, she growled at him; and then, she clawed him; and occasionally, she bit him.

The man, however, tended and cared for her regardless.

And after a while, the mother wolf became more open to the man.

As the winter grew harsher, the two snuggled up together.

Her fur kept him warm and his company healed her.

And throughout the years, the two stayed as best friends.

– Jason