The Myths and Realities About Humankind’s Relationship with Wolves: A story of love and hate.

Myths are folk stories used by ancient cultures to explain why an event or natural disaster happened.

In ancient times myths were used to explain away why bad things happened to people. Greek Mythology was known for representing why something happened, for example: the Greek god of the underworld, Hades, kidnapped Persephone the daughter of Demeter (goddess of growing things) for six months and this caused a change in the seasons.

(The Greek god Hades and his wife Persephone)

Myths often vilified animals implying they were the cause of bad things happening to people. Myths (ancient and European) played a large role in contributing to misconceptions about wolves.

Yet, it’s important to recognize a few ancient cultures that worshipped wolves as a good influence.

For instance in Japanese culture farmers left offerings of food by a wolf’s den because wolves guarded crops against foregoing deer and wild boar.

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