the Wolf

Role: wolf · First appears: Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog

In Myth 34, “In the beginning,” the Dog was put on the mountain and the Wolf beside the fire. When winter came, the Dog left the mountain, drove the Wolf from the fire, and became his enemy. The Wolf returned to the mountains, prospered, then ventured down to kill animals in the settlements; after the people killed him, his brothers came from the mountains and took revenge, and people thereafter feared to hurt a wolf.

In Myth 41, the Raccoon insulted the Wolf, who chased him, then nearly drowned after mistaking his reflection for the Raccoon. While the Wolf slept, the Raccoon plastered his eyes with dung. The Wolf promised to show the little brown bird red paint if it opened his eyes; after the bird pecked the plaster away, the Wolf took it to a rock streaked with red paint, where it painted itself and became the Redbird.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Dog was put on the mountain and the Wolf beside the fire.(Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog · 📍 the mountain)
  • With: the Dog
  • “In the beginning, the people say, the Dog was put on the mountain and the Wolf beside the fire.”
• The Dog came down to the settlement and drove the Wolf from the fire.(Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog · 📍 the settlement)
  • With: the Dog
  • “When the winter came the Dog could not stand the cold, so he came down to the settlement and drove the Wolf from the fire.”
• The Wolf ventured down from the mountains and killed animals in the settlements.(Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog · 📍 the mountains)
  • “The Wolf ran to the mountains, where it suited him so well that he prospered and increased, until after a while he ventured down again and killed some animals in the settlements.”
• The people followed and killed the Wolf.(Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog · 📍 the settlements)
  • “The people got together and followed and killed him, but his brothers came from the mountains and took such revenge that ever since the people have been afraid to hurt a wolf.”
• The Wolf's brothers took revenge on the people, who thereafter feared to hurt a wolf.(Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog · 📍 the mountains)
  • “The people got together and followed and killed him, but his brothers came from the mountains and took such revenge that ever since the people have been afraid to hurt a wolf.”
• The Wolf chased the Raccoon after the Raccoon insulted him.(Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color)
  • With: the Raccoon
  • “A Raccoon passing a Wolf one day made several insulting remarks, until at last the Wolf became angry and turned and chased him.”
• The Wolf mistook the Raccoon's reflection for him and nearly drowned jumping at it.(Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color)
  • With: the Raccoon
  • “When the Wolf arrived he saw the reflection in the water, and thinking it was the Raccoon he jumped at it and was nearly drowned before he could scramble out again, all wet and dripping.”
• The Raccoon plastered the sleeping Wolf's eyes with dung.(Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color)
  • With: the Raccoon
  • “and while he was sleeping the Raccoon came down the tree and plastered his eyes with dung.”
• The Wolf promised to show the bird red paint if it opened his eyes.(Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color)
  • With: the little brown bird (Myth 41)
  • “The Wolf told his story and said, ‘If you will get my eyes open, I will show you where to find some nice red paint to paint yourself.’”
• The little brown bird pecked the plaster off the Wolf's eyes.(Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color)
  • With: the little brown bird (Myth 41)
  • “so he pecked at the Wolf's eyes until he got off all the plaster.”
• The Wolf took the bird to red paint, and the bird painted himself and became a Redbird.(Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color)
  • With: the little brown bird (Myth 41)
  • “Then the Wolf took him to a rock that had streaks of bright red paint running through it, and the little bird painted himself with it, and has ever since been a Redbird.”

Myth 34 · The Wolf's Revenge--The Wolf and the Dog

• enemies with the Dog “When the winter came the Dog could not stand the cold, so he came down to the settlement and drove the Wolf from the fire.”

Myth 41 · How the Redbird Got His Color

• enemies with the Raccoon “A Raccoon passing a Wolf one day made several insulting remarks, until at last the Wolf became angry and turned and chased him.”
• recipient: the little brown bird (Myth 41) “Then the Wolf took him to a rock that had streaks of bright red paint running through it, and the little bird painted himself with it.”

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Extracted from the original text of Myths of the Cherokee. Made with Rho MD.