Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-05-08
HOW THE WOLF WAS MADE.
An Esthonian Legend Shows What Was
the Purpose of Its Creator.


and all the beasts He asked the devil:
Don't you admire my work? Or do
you thing there is any important plant,
or any useful animal wanting? or the
hills are not high enough, or the seas
not deep enough?"
This gracious question pleased the
devil very much. He took heart and
answered: "There is no fault to be
found with your work, but still I can't
help thinking there is one beast too
few"
What beast?" asked the Creator in
surprise.
"Well" said the devil, "a beast to
watch and guard the woods, that the
shepherd boys may not break the
branches of the trees, nor hares and
goats nibble the young shoots"
Have not put bears and snakes in
the wood?" said the Creator.
"No doubt you have" said the evil
one, "but these guardians go to sleep
when winter comes, and then it grieves
me to see the wood without protector,
like an orphan"
Now, what the devil wanted was to
make for himself a savage beast to wor-
ry Gods harmless creatures and do all
sorts of mischief.
What kind of beast do you think is
still wanting?" asked the Creator.
"One that could make myself if you
would let me-" said the devil, entreat-
ingly.
$50 be it," said the Creator. 81 won't
hinder you"
'But ask more than that" the devil
continued. 81 have not the power to
give my creature life. If you would
tell me how to do that, you would soon
see that my beast was as good as any of
yours.
81 will grant you that also. When
your beast is quite finished, with his
eyes and nose in their right places, then
say to him: Arise and hunt the
devilp"
"We'll see about that" muttered the
devil to himself and went away to
thick forest. Here he gathered together
stones and old leather, twigs and moss,
and then brought from the village
smithy two glowing sparks and lot of
iron nails.
Then he began his work. He made
the beasts back of a strong hedge
stake, and it's head of tree stump, it's
breast of twigs and shoe leather woven
together, and its loins of bricks. He
made its paws of elderwood, and Its tail
of bunch of ferns, and in its breast he
put stone for heart. Then he COW
cred the body with moss, and set the
two glowing sparks in its eye-sockets,
and with the nails he made claws and
teeth for it.
When the devil had made this beast
he was highly delighted with it, and
called it wolf.
But the wolf had no life.
Then the artist remembered the
charm and cried: "Wolf, arise and
hunt-w
At this the wolf raised its head and
licked it's lips
This gave the devil such fright that
he could not say another word But he
soon recovered himself and cried:
"Wolf, arise and hunt Allfather!"
But the wolf lay still, without SO
much as wag of its tail The devil re-
peated his charm ten times over, but
the wolf paid not the slightest heed.
Then the devil went back to Allfath-
er and said: "You have not given me
the right charm, for the wolf will not
STIR"
"What?" said the Creator; ''did you
say, Rise, and hunt the devil?'"
The evil one had not expected this;
he had nothing to say for himself, but
was forced to go away crestfallen.
He tried again. Again he said:
"Wolf, arise and hunt Allfather!' All
in vain.
At last he went long distance away
from the wolf, and shouted; "Wolf,
arise!" Then he added in whisper,
"and hunt the devil"
Good heavens, how the wolf sprung
up He was after the devil like the
wind, and would certainly have worried
him if he had not crept under a big
stone.
Ever since the wolf has been the
devils bitterest foe, always looking out
for chance to annoy and hurt him.
His backbone is as strong as hedge
stake, his teeth and claws are as sharp
as nails, and his hide is covered with
thick hair. His eyes shine like Goals of
fire. His heart is as hard as a stone,
for he carries off and kills the harmless
lambs. If you throw stone at him it
drives him mad with rage, but if herd
boy manages to strike him with stick
he is so much ashamed that he will not
come near that flock again for three
whole years. But if ever you see him,
in harvest time, sitting in clearing Of
the wood with his fiery eyes shining,
then you may know that he is lying in
wait for the evil one,-Longman's Mag
azine