Wolves and Men

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

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► Themes of the story

Transformation: The domestication of fox and wolf puppies leading to the emergence of different types of dogs signifies a transformative process in the relationship between humans and animals.

Conflict with Nature: The man’s decision to stop providing for the wolf, resulting in the wolf retaliating by attacking his reindeer herd with a pack, highlights the inherent tensions and conflicts that can arise between humans and the natural world.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a lesson about the consequences of neglecting responsibilities and the importance of maintaining harmonious relationships with nature and animals.

► From the same Region or People

• North Asia
  • Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

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Told by Ulashkan, a Lamut man, on the Molonda River, in the Kolyma country, summer of 1895.

There lived some people who had no dogs at all, so they caught the small puppies of a gray fox, and brought them up. These gray foxes brought forth black and spotted dogs. Another man caught a wolfling and fed it. That wolf brought forth another kind of dog. They were long-legged, and light in color. This wolf was so nimble of foot, that it could overtake and catch reindeer and elk and any other kind of game. So its master became the richest of all the people.

At last the man said, “I am quite rich. My assistants are too many.” So he ceased to pay the, wolf in food and shelter. The wolf went off and called all his companions. Twenty wolves came with him, and attacked the reindeer herd. Many reindeer were killed. The man caught his bow, shot at the wolves, and killed four of them. From that time began the war between man and wolf.