The Wolf Children

When a child goes missing among those hardy communities that live near the wilderness, the story goes that perhaps they have been taken by the wolves. When there is no evidence that the child has been killed, the story gains strength. When the hunters and trackers and others find no trace of the lost one, it becomes a near fact.
Then tales begin to spread of the footprints of a human child mixed in with the paw prints of the wolves, distant observers swear they see one or more children riding or running with the pack. Sometimes, the cries of human young can be heard in the echos of their howls.
Occasionally, someone will show up in a remote village, dressed in uncured skins, or wearing tattered clothes from garments far too small for them. They speak but few words, but will growl or snap if threatened. Many assume these to be the grown wolf children, banished from the pack or abandoned to return to humankind. Since there is little evidence to confirm any of these arrivals, most dismiss them as mere tall tales.

Summary

While there are many variations, the general basis of the story is human or human appearing children living among and being raised by wolf packs.

Historical Basis

For as long as man has lived in proximity to wolves, stories have existed of children among them. No single known historical event seems to have spawned these tales.

Variations & Mutation

Some say these are children taken by the wolves and raised as their own. Some say it is merely a way for parents to deal with the loss of a child taken by the beasts. Still others claim they are wolves who can take human form.

See Summercamp 2020 for all my articles.

by Ria Sopala

I followed the tracks, great broad paws leaving strong traces.
There seemed to be many of them, all bunched together.
Their progress was slow, far slower than a normal pack, curious that.
I lost the trace when they crossed the rockslide, but before I did -
The marks of two small feet.
Little one, are you then a wolf child?

-- Sentinel Mattus