When he reflects about that night by the fire, he remembers things the commotion distracted him from noticing. Some of the other men, too, fell silent and lolled back. A time or two he thought he saw a pair of canines gleaming in the light and something clawlike in the position of a hand. What would have happened if he had stayed? Some nights he wonders if the dark form could still be running and if it will someday find him.
Granny Wolf
Mike Bastine remembers a woman, an old storyteller from Allegany, who knew someone who could shift her shape. It was her grandmother.
When she was a girl, she used to like sleeping over with her grandmother, but many a time she woke late at night with the feeling she was alone in the house. When she checked it was always true. Where had her grandmother gone?
When she was older, she tried to stay awake to see her grandmother come back. She never succeeded, though once near dawn she heard someone come in and go straight to her grandmother’s room. That afternoon as she played with the other children, she found wolf tracks all around her grandmother’s house.
One night when she heard the sounds of her grandmother leaving on the other side of the house, she looked out her window. She believed she saw the form of a wolf lope off through the moon shadows into the trees.
One morning a short time later, her grandmother didn’t get up. The girl foundher in bed with a wound in her leg. There was blood leading from the window to the covers.
“Don’t worry, dear, I’ll be all right,” said the old dame. “I just need to rest awhile.”
The girl asked about her leg. “Darn it. I was walking in the woods and there was this sharp stick out. Got me right here. I’ll be all right.”
The little girl took a breath. “Uh, Grandma. . . . One time when you left at night I’m pretty sure I saw a wolf run into the woods. I’ve been meaning to ask you about that for a long time.”
At first the grandmother dismissed the matter, but the girl wouldn’t let it go.
“I always knew you were a smart little girl,” she said. “Well, I have to tell you something just for you. You’re right, honey. There have always been some of us who’ve gone around like that at night. I’m one of the only ones I know any more who still does it.
“But that’s how I keep an eye on the neighborhood and make sure everything’s all right. You can’t go all over the yards and woods like that like a person. I make sure people are treating each other right, and if I have to get involved, well, I do it my own way. Sometimes I wonder why.”
She groaned. “That old Mr. Jamison would just drink all his money away and there’d be nothing left for the family. Somebody has to scare him into keeping home at night. Mary Snow is out at all hours with her boyfriend and just about anything could happen to those little kids of hers if somebody didn’t keep an eye out. And if Davey Green ever hits his wife again, he has to know something’s coming for him.
“Now this story is just for you,” she finished. “If this got out and around in the community,” she shook her head, “it wouldn’t be good. It wouldn’t be good at all.”
She rolled over and groaned. “That’s all for now, honey. I have to get some rest. You run home and tell your mom to come over later. Boy, it’s lucky that darn farmer’s such a bad shot, or he’d have got me for good.”
The Dog and the Wolves
A Seneca man and his dog lived in a cabin far from a village. They got along well and fairly with each other, certainly no worse than people and dogs ought to. One evening, the dog ran into a pack of wolves outside the house.
“We’ve been watching this place for weeks,” said the leader. “If you know what’s best for you, you’ll ditch this guy now. We’re coming back tomorrow night to knock him off when he brings in the water. Then we’ll eat up all his game. The same thing will happen to you if you get in the way.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t try any of that,” said the dog. “You know, that guy blows smoke and fire out of his lungs every night. You want to mess with a witch like that?”
“You are some kind of a liar,” laughed the head wolf. “Still, it’s worth a look, if he can do a thing like that. But don’t forget what I said. If we catch you here tomorrow, you’ll get the medicine he gets.”
“Don’t forget what I said,” said the dog. “Make sure you’re watching tonight around sunset. That’s when he shows off his power.”
All went as the dog expected. That night the wolves returned, looked in on the cabin, and saw the man enjoying his pipe, apparently breathing fire. They presumed him a great wizard and took off running. His dog sleeping comfortably at his feet, the man never knew of this.
We should always be good to our dogs. We will never know how many times they have saved us.
THE ANIMALS TALKING
While you’re waiting to hear from the supernatural talking animals, Mike Bastine will tell you it’s important
