The wolf is one of my passions, and certainly a more recent one. I find that it is not in the first instance desire that breeds passion but rather passion that breeds desire. For with the inevitable passing of time familiarity does keep the fire of passion alight.
This page is of various purpose. It is first and foremost a place where I honour my brothers and sisters and the affinity I feel with them. Secondly, it is a projection of my own personal wish that these beautiful creatures be understood for what they are and are not. I hope that everyone who comes here and reads this will leave with a new appreciation and tear down the fortress of their old misconceptions. There is no shame in being ignorant; it is only shameful to perpetuate ignorance. Lastly, as I am ever on a journey of discovery of this fantastic animal, it is here that I ask for the sharing of knowledge from others so that I may come to a greater understanding of the beauty in the beast.
Where does this fear and misconception of the wolf come from? It is my belief that there are two parts to that story that interact very strongly: our old friend ignorance, and the rotten egg of misinformation. Consider what you know of these stories and fable. I have chosen just a fraction of what I can remember comfortable that you will recognise at least a few of them too.
In each of these well-known and touted tales the wolf as a central character has been painted as an evil, blood thirsty, man-eating beast. This is simply not true. How many films or television programs have you seen that pit groups of adventurers stranded in the harsh unforgiving wilderness against the savagery of attacking wolf packs? How many of you are filled with dread at the thought of hearing the howling of wolves late at night alone and vulnerable?
I imagine the many of you have, simply because I have been exposed to the same sorts of misinformation. I read and faithfully absorbed the same kinds of fictitious and damaging stories and before I undertook any sort of research into wolves I held the same fears and misconceptions.
Consider the few following facts. Do these surprise you? Do they run contrary to what you know to be true? Unless you are a wolf lover I would expect so. For a wolf scholar is a wolf lover, it is inevitable.
If one undertakes a study of the wolf one finds that they are in fact noble and timid creatures when it comes to humankind. Wolves do not and have never offered a threat to our existence. Inuit and other Native Americans have lived in harmony with the wolf for centuries. So why then are they feared, hunted and persecuted? Ignorance and misinformation, that is the sad and simple truth.
I recommend the following book for anyone who is interested in discovering the true nature of the wolf. "Never Cry Wolf" (1964) by Farley Mowat is not only a detailed examination of the wolf, but also an entertaining and very funny tale of a man who was sent to damn the wolf and instead came back as their defender. Farley Mowat is an exceptional Canadian author and this is one of the greatest tributes ever to the wolf.
The Bard's Inn
The Valley
The Orchard of the White Dove
Crossroads