The raven’s cleverness is long celebrated by her ability to get water from stone… er pebbles. Obviously this is a very early example of her audience appeal, as people were not clever enough to tip the jug and pour the water out.

She made a significant appearance in literature when she came to the hall where Beowulf’s men slept and heralded the coming of morning. Here we see her associated with liveliness (as the opposite of sleep) but also we see her in attendance on a group of wulf-fans, clearly an omen of the future Pack.

The word “raven” has long been the distinction between mere darkness and glamorous mystery, as in the phrase “raven-haired beauty.” Why Amanda has abandoned this plumage may ellude some of us, but ours is not to wonder why….

Finally, the Raven made a notable theatrical appearance recently, after aggressively lobbying for a role in the Hitchcock film, which was almost ruined by a bevvy of chickens and the dreadful title:“The Fowl.” This rejected title did have the advantage of sounding like “foul” but nevertheless failed to inspire the desired horror in test audiences. We are all thankful that the black birds got their way in that one.

Though the raven is happy to keep company with the wolf, of consorting with sneaky silver-tongued foxes, she is quoted as saying merely “never more.”

The Wolfe Pack’s Heritage

Our closest predecessor, the Wolf Gang, known for its vast range and success in many venues, roved Mittle Europe during the 18th century and inspired musical greatness. For example, an entrepreneur who collected and sold work related to us named his shop: “Wolf-Gang’s Mo-Art”.

The infamous 20th century Jack was nearly the last Wolf Man. But thanks to his being a gregarious fellow, he kept our traditions alive via the invisible medium of the radio.

A distant cousin, Sir Reynard of Gruen Nocht, first appeared in the memorable hunt scene of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, during which there was also a seduction of some important but naïve knight. The fox’s fine illustration of what happens to the object of the hunt prepared the audience perfectly for the eventual undoing and ridicule of the main character. Incidentally, the fox stole the scene from that foolish fellow, hands down.

In the last century, Little Red Riding Hood, a known k’immie of the worst kind, and political Stalinist conspirator, tainted the pack’s reputation with notoriety when she claimed that one of our number consumed her. As there can be no murder without a corpse, her scurrilous claims of infanticide are what one would expect from a digested k’immie juvenile…

In the much corrupted tale of the three little monopolists… er… pigs… the wolf once again stands alone against the progress of tyranny. The engineering on those houses demonstrated blatant disregard for the environment. They were hundreds of miles from the nearest sewage treatment plant, and had no facilities for recycling at all. Unfortunately, the little pigs won, which explains the current distribution of economic power over the globe. But the wolf’s efforts remain like a shining light in the pack memory.

Need I mention the clear parallels between madwomen, the cold sea and the name Woolf? If only there had been cyberspace for you to swim in, Virginia...

--petshark

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Y'know, that kid was always causing problems. By the time the wolf showed up, nobody believed the kid. But in actuality, the wolf was finally showing himself because he wanted the kid to SHUT UP! How would you like your name screamed out over and over, and when you go to check it out, it's just some dumb kid pulling pranks? That'd get pretty darned annoying after a while.

--Guin

(I would be glad to hear anyone else’s tid-bits on the illustrious heritage of wolves and ravens.--petshark)