A Morality Play in Furs

 Merry Christmas All!

            Ramona had that grill platform thing laid over the coals in the stone circle and on that grill was laid rather a lot of an unlucky young deer. A fat young buck. She was pleased with his progress over the heat. He was rubbed with garlic, rosemary, and some red pepper powder. Ramona was just getting into chili as a seasoning.
            She knew that Ralph had a kind of mystic sense about when the food was nearly ready, so she was expecting him to materialize at any moment. No surprises.
            When she sensed movement and looked up she saw Ralph, himself, approaching with a very large grey wolf ambling along by his side, doing that floaty thing wolves do when they’re relaxed. She was glad that she was cooking most of a deer.
            “Look who I’ve got, Mona,” said Ralph. “This is a Wolf with no name, but he can talk now!”
            Ramona turned her eyes to the wolf. “Hello, Wolf. How are you this very fine day?”
            “I seem to be as fine as ever, Firekeeper,” said the wolf, rather surprising himself. The more he spoke the more words came to him unbidden. It was quite an experience, considering that a bare half hour before he had been totally wordless.
            “It seems to me that Wolf must be a name,” said Ramona.
            “What is a name, except a very singular description,” said the wolf.
            “Fair enough,” said Ramona. “I like the name ‘Firekeeper’ very well, thank you.”
            “So, tell me Wolf, where do you come from? Where is your home den? Who waits there?” said she. “While this cooks a bit more we can talk.”
            Ralph couldn’t remember Ramona taking an instant interest in a visitor like this before. In his fascination, he silently took a seat and just listened. Ralph is a very attentive observer.
            Wolf thought about how to explain where he had come from. Finally, he said, “I come from a range of mountains far toward the sunrise. I came down out of that range, then I crossed many miles of flat farm land. After that I entered another range of mountains. If I kept going I would come to a great water, so I have heard.”
            Ramona tested the venison with the tip of her knife, then sat on one of the logs next to Ralph.
            “Why did you travel so very far, Wolf? Was is love that drove you, or fear?” asked Ramona.
            “I must say that it was both, lady Firekeeper. I loved my life, and I feared the loss of it!”
            As he was speaking both Berry and Bob crept up to the fire circle. Silent and wary, but observing that this great beast was sitting quietly, they merely watched and listened with their long tails wrapped around their feet..
            “How so, Wolf?” said she. “Who could threaten you?”
            “They look much as you do. But there’s the end of it,” said Wolf. “They are unspeaking and unsparing. Killing and eating is all. They have eaten their own young, lady. I’ve seen this.
            “They don’t use fire, as you do. Their only tools are sticks and unshaped stones. They capture creatures and even men and keep them alive for a time.
            “Since I had no family and no one waits for me, I traveled until I was out of their hunting grounds.”
            “Hey, Wolf, no wonder you didn’t look happy to see me,” said Ralph. “Most creatures around here don’t look at me like that, unless I’m hunting them, which I can see you thought was a possibility.”
            Ramona decided that the venison was done, so she gave a little whistle and Twigg appeared. He walked up quietly when he saw who had come for dinner. He looked at Ralph, who was grinning, and then Ramona before deciding not to worry.
            Cherry had been napping, but she appeared also, and dinner was served. Between them all, they ate it all except for the bones. Those went into the fire.
            Ramona made some mint tea. Wolf and the puma bros had theirs from  bowls. Every one else had a wooden cup. She passed a bowl of toasted hazelnuts for dessert. Wolf liked them, but Berry and Bob didn’t.
            It was Wolf’s time to ask questions now that dinner was over.
            His great golden eyes took in everything in the Home Clearing. He saw signs of care and comfort everywhere. There was the nice cave, the fire circle, the seating arrangements, even Ralph’s log a little out in the forest.
            He looked at the pumas. He tipped his head like any curious canid. He took a moment to look at Twigg and Cherry sitting nicely and well cared for near their parents.
            He looked at Ramona, so kind and competent. Then he looked at Ralph. Then he spoke.
            “Sir, lord of this land, do you have a name? Or are you too absolute to need one?” he asked.
            “My name is Ralph. I wasn’t born to that name. It kind of came along later in life,” said Ralph.
            “Why are you not like them?” asked Wolf. “Why are you speaking, and cooking food and caring for your young, and even have animals who are friends?”
            “How is it, that you are kind?” said the Wolf. Then, sitting on his shaggy haunches, he waited to hear what Ralph would say.
            “Ah, Wolf. Now, there’s a subject of subjects. It’s a bit of a tale too.
            “Memory is a tricky thing. For instance, my memory of the time before I had language is strange and dreamlike, being mostly undefined, when I look back at it, now having the faculty of speech.” Ralph cleared his throat and continued.
            “You wonder how we here became speakers. Well, it was much like how you became a speaker just now. One came to me when I was alone, long before I knew Ramona or had this place. I was just wandering as a wild animal does, seeking food or rest. One stood before me in the pathway. I stopped and gazed. He was the most astounding thing I had ever seen.  Light came off of him, as if he were afire in some sense. He approached me, and I withstood his approach, which seemed to make some kind of important point to him. He laid his hands around my throat and bade me speak.
            “It took a little while to get used to speaking. I started practicing on humans when I got a chance, and even hanging around outside their houses and listening to the language inside.
            “Then I met Ramona and here we are!! She learned quickly!” said Ralph.
            “But still, the question remains,” cried the Wolf. “Why are you not cruel and cloddish? Just having speech doesn’t create kindness!”
            “No, dear Wolf. You are correct about that, as far as it goes. But language does create choice. Then naturally, you arrive at being responsible for what you know, you know?
            “I began to see that this and that were not the same, and that one was better than the other, and that required me to make choices, which I have done until this day.
            “Well, that, and I think that shining One added something when he touched me,” said Ralph at last.
            “I believe that,” said Wolf.
            “I think that you were probably kind all along,” said Ralph. “Wolves are very fine creatures!”
            “Thanks, Ralph. Nice of you to say so!” said Wolf.