The Dumb Wolf

Once upon a time a wolf went along a way when he saw a black pudding lying right in the middle of it. The wolf wanted to eat it at once but the black pudding asked: "Mister Wolf, do not eat me! A little way further a three year old mare is stuck in the mud. Why don't you go there and eat her instead?"

But when he wanted to eat her, she said: "There is something written on the hoof of my hind leg. Wouldn't you like to read it before you eat me?" When the wolf went to her hind legs to read what was written there, the mare kicked out. She hit his neck and ran away. The wolf lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

When he came to again and looked around the mare was already far away. So he got to his feet and with his nose sniffing at the ground he ran to and fro between the bushes and the hills. He was lucky and found a one year old calf on one of the hills. The wolf went to the calf wanting to eat it but the calf said: "If you eat me up here on the hill, humans will see you. It would be better if you'd bring me to a small gorge and eat me there!"

"Mister Wolf, you seem to be tired and exhausted. Sit on me and I will carry you!" the calf told him. The wolf did as the calf told him. "When we climb down into the gorge, you'd better close your eyes so you won't get dizzy," the calf suggested. And so the wolf closed his eyes. The calf, though, carried the wolf right in front of the ail (1) of a family of Mongolian nomads. Hollering the people beat the wolf up and then chased him away.

The wolf fled and thought to himself:

"What am I doing in the distant mountains?

What am I doing near the humans?

I was a fool going along this way.

I was a block head to be tricked by a black pudding.

Am I the owner that I pulled the horse from the mud?

Am I the mother to lick the mare clean?

When did I ever learn to read and write?

And do I not have legs of my own to walk with?

I am dumb and now I am dying..."

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