Brief information about the wolf.

The common wolf (or gray wolf) is a large beast of prey from the canine family. The body length of an adult wolf can reach 180 cm (including tail), and the height at the withers is 90 cm. The weight of a wolf ranges from 30 to 50 kg, some of the largest animals can weigh up to 80 kilograms. Female wolves are usually smaller than male wolves.

The wolf's muzzle is elongated, its teeth are sharp and strong. The paws are quite long, the claws are not very sharp, as they wear off while running. The coat is usually light gray, sometimes with a black, white or reddish tint; there are wolves with completely black and completely white fur. As a wolf ages, its coat color can change greatly.

Spreading

Wolves live almost throughout the entire territory of Eurasia and North America. Animals are well adapted to life in different conditions. They feel good in the tundra, forest, steppe, taiga and mountains.

Currently, the number of wolves has greatly decreased, and in many regions these animals are endangered.

Lifestyle

Wolves are pack animals. Members of the pack are relatives and lone wolves who have joined them. A flock can be large or small. A small one can consist of three to six wolves, and a large one can number twenty to forty individuals.

Life in a flock has its own laws and orders; there is a strict hierarchy. Each pack has a leader - a strong wolf, to whom all the others obey. The leader leads the pack on the hunt and resolves all conflicts that arise between relatives. Weak wolves must unquestioningly obey the strong ones.

Wolves have a very developed sign language. Their tail position or posture speaks volumes. So, a raised tail means that this is the leader of the pack, and a tucked tail means that this wolf is the weakest in the pack.

Wolves are big fans of “choral singing.” Their howls are both important messages for their relatives and simply a pleasant pastime. With the help of howls, wolves can convey important information to their relatives, being located at a distance of several kilometers from each other. For example, reporting the approach of game or a person.

Wolves love to howl just like that at dawn or at night. The leader is the first to speak, and the rest of the wolves begin to sing along with him.

In addition to howling, wolves can make other sounds - growl, howl, bark, yelp. All these sounds also have a certain meaning.

Wolves have a very sensitive sense of smell, they smell 100 times better than humans.

Nutrition

Wolves are predators. As a rule, they hunt sick or weak animals. That is why wolves are called orderlies.

A variety of animals can become game for wolves - moose, wild boars, rams, goats, deer, roe deer, beavers, bulls, hares, rabbits, badgers, squirrels, birds and others. But most often wolves hunt ungulates. They can also attack domestic animals. When food is scarce, wolves eat frogs, lizards and beetles.

Every day a wolf can eat about five kilograms of meat and drink a liter of water. In addition to meat food, wolves willingly eat fruits, berries, mushrooms, grass and leaves. Use plant food Helps animals normalize digestion.

Wolves are very hardy animals; they can live without food for about two weeks.

Reproduction

Wolves create a family once for life. To breed, they dig new holes or occupy holes dug by other animals; they can also settle among rocks in small crevices.

A she-wolf's pregnancy lasts from 62 to 75 days. Wolf cubs are born in the spring. They are born defenseless - deaf, blind and toothless. The weight of newborn wolf cubs ranges from 300 g to 500 g. After about 9 days, their eyes open, and after two to three weeks their teeth begin to erupt. At three months of age, wolf cubs begin to emerge from the hole.

Adult wolves take grown-up wolf cubs with them to hunt.

Wolves are considered adult at approximately two years of age.

Life expectancy of wolves wildlife ranges from 7 to 10 years.

Brief information about the wolf.

Since ancient times people have revered and feared Wolf, they called him the elder brother, they scared children with him, they made up legends and retellings about him. The wolf genus itself is quite extensive, including coyotes and jackals, but it is wolves became the direct and closest ancestors of the domestic dog.

Wolf- enough large predator from a family of mammals that used to be found almost everywhere in Russia and the CIS. But due to a number of problems caused by technological progress, the habitat of these animals has narrowed significantly in recent decades.

The name itself " wolf"comes from the ancient Slavic language, has ancient Indo-European roots and literally means " drag" or "drag."

It turns out that Wolf family quite extensive - there are about 32 different subspecies of wolves, but only six main ones are found on the territory of Russia - tundra, Central Russian forest, Mongolian, Caucasian, Siberian and steppe.

What do wolves eat

Basic Wolf's diet are ungulates depending on their habitat. It can be reindeer, horses, roe deer, pigs, moose, goats, both wild and domesticated.

In desert regions, Wolves hunt antelope and sheep. Due to the expansion of human activity and the introduction of man into natural environment In the habitat of wolves, predator attacks on livestock farms occur.

But wolf population constantly decreasing due to lack of food and constant hunting for them. During difficult periods, Wolves can feed on frogs, lizards and even large insects. They sometimes eat berries, mushrooms and fruits, and to quench their thirst they can plunder a watermelon or melon planting.

Where does the Wolf live?

Wolves prefer wooded areas and choose flat or mountainous areas with sparse vegetation and a temperate climate for housing.

Pack of Wolves usually occupies an area of ​​30 to 60 km and prefers a sedentary way of existence. But in spring summer period this area is divided into fragments in accordance with the hierarchy of the pack: the best goes to the strongest Wolves.

Wolves can also be found in the north in the taiga and tundra near human settlements.

Wolves are smart and they understand that where there is a person, you can always profit from something. And although they do harm agriculture, but, on the other hand, they also regulate the balance of the ecosystem, controlling the number of animals and acting as forest orderlies.

Are Wolves Dangerous to Humans?

Scientists have come to the conclusion that the Wolf will not just attack a person, since he has an instinct of self-preservation. But sometimes there are sad cases of attacks by animals suffering from rabies. Or if there is a severe shortage of food.

Wolves breeding

Mating season for wolves lasts from January to April. Wolves are monogamous and lead a family lifestyle; a couple stays together until one of the partners dies.

Before the onset of estrus, the she-wolf does not accept the sexual advances of the male. Brutal fights for the attention of females, often with fatal consequences, are absolutely normal among Wolves.

She-wolves reach sexual maturity in the second year of life, and Wolves - at 3 years.

Wolves have only 1 estrus per year, so that the cubs are born in the warm spring, when there is enough food around.

Wolf couple First, he takes care of a safe shelter for future offspring. These can be either various secluded places, or other people's burrows of badgers or arctic foxes; they rarely dig their own burrows.

Only the She-Wolf uses the lair; she is also involved in raising small wolf cubs, which at first resemble the puppies of an ordinary dog. Usually, the She-Wolf gives birth to from 3 to 13 wolf cubs, and the whole pack helps to feed them.

But despite close care from parents and other Wolves, in the first year of life only 20-40% of wolf cubs survive. This is due to disease, lack of food and competition within the family, when stronger puppies receive more food, and weaker ones gradually die.

Wolves have a rather interesting voice, which has much great opportunities than other animals. Wolves don't just howl They are also believed to be able to grumble, whine, squeal, yelp, bark and growl. Moreover, they are fully aware of these sounds and understand the information voiced by their fellow tribesmen. This helps to find out where prey is hiding, where to go hunting, and even report the appearance of people. And the collective wolf howl is distinctive feature active social life.

By the way, The wolves can hear fellow tribesman and transmit messages from a distance of about 8 kilometers.

The Wolf has a very highly developed sense of smell, he distinguishes odors 100 times better than a person, so scent plays one of the main roles in the wolf family.

Wolves are strong and hardy animals that can cover a distance of up to 80 km, and if necessary develop speed 60 km/h, which is one of important conditions for survival.

In nature Wolves survive up to 15 years, but already at 10-12 years old they show signs of old age.

The wolf also symbolizes devotion and loyalty in the family; it is associated with many heroes folk tales and epics of the ancient cultures of the peoples of the North, where he personifies strength and courage. But sometimes he is perceived as an evil and negative character who is greedy and greedy, and sometimes serves dark forces.

The story “Wolves” pits two heroes against each other in extreme situations: the father-in-law and the son-in-law. They have no sympathy for each other. They always laugh at each other, criticize each other, but for the sake of the woman who tied them together, they maintain peace.

Everyone knows that father-in-law (Nahum) is not the best nice man. He's a pretty nasty guy. And his son-in-law Ivan is simply very young.

And then one day the two of them have to go for firewood. My son-in-law didn’t really want to go to one like this cold weather to go, it was almost dark, but he could not allow his father-in-law to accuse him of laziness. And then behind the hill they suddenly saw a pack of hungry wolves coming out of the forest. Only severe hunger could drive predators onto the road. The son-in-law is on a horse, and the father-in-law is riding a cart. The horse was still young - he got scared and began to stumble. While the young man was trying to calm the animal, he suddenly realized that his father-in-law had escaped in a cart. The son-in-law began to shout that he should not throw him to the wolves. Naum threw him an ax and drove away, shouting: “They’re robbing!”

Left alone with the wolves, the young man realized the difference between a dog and a predator. He saw that neither a shout nor a blow could stop the wolf; this hungry predator was a killer. The man began to fight back, but there were too many wolves. And it turned out that he had to sacrifice his horse. Having had their fill, the wolves did not touch the man.

His son-in-law found Naum on a cart around the bend. It seemed that Naum was even glad that his son-in-law was alive. Still, he did not want him to die, but the young man was angry. He believes that they could have fought off the wolves, but they had to risk their lives and kill their horse. The father-in-law is amazed, he threw the ax. What else do you say you need?

And Naum leaves again. Returning to the village, the son-in-law drinks vodka and goes to his father-in-law. And there they are already waiting for him... A policeman. And Naum also slandered his son-in-law that he is a “non-Soviet” person. The policeman takes Ivan away, offering to play chess.

The story teaches that sometimes it is better to be taken away from trouble - for your own good.

Picture or drawing Wolves!

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  At the age of nine, Philip Carey becomes an orphan and is taken in by his uncle, a priest from Blackstable. In the house of the priest, who does not have kindred feelings for Philip, the boy escapes loneliness by reading books.

For some reason, the only dogs I like are shepherd dogs and Siberian huskies. Maybe because they resemble natural animals - wolves!

Let's take a quick look at interesting facts about these animals. Almost all photos are clickable up to 1920 px

Gray wolves are slender, have a powerful physique with a large, deep-set chest and a sloping back. Stomach gray wolf retracted, muscular neck. Their limbs are long and robust, with relatively small paws. Each front paw has five toes and the hind paws have four. Females, as a rule, have a narrow muzzle and forehead, a thin neck, their legs are slightly shorter than those of males, and less massive shoulders. Wolves very strong for their size, with enough strength to turn over a horse or frozen elk carcasses.

In general, gray wolves are the largest of the animals included in the family Canidae, not counting some large breeds domestic dogs.

The length of an adult gray wolf is 105-160 cm, the height of the animal at the shoulder is 80-85 cm. The weight of the wolf varies in different geographical areas; On average, a European wolf can weigh 38.5 kg, a North American wolf can weigh 36 kg, and an Indian and Arabian wolf can weigh 25 kg. Female wolves typically weigh 5-10 kg less than males. Wolves weighing more than 54 kg are rare, but exceptionally large specimens have been recorded in Alaska, Canada, and the former Soviet Union.

Gray wolves can run at speeds of 56-64 km/h, and can run for more than 20 minutes without stopping, although not necessarily at that same speed. In cold climates, wolves may reduce blood flow to conserve body heat. The warmth of the lower paws is regulated independently of the rest of the body, and is maintained at a level just above where the paws come into contact with the ice and snow. The head of a gray wolf is large and heavy. The ears are relatively small and triangular. As a rule, their body configuration resembles that of German Shepherds and Laikas.

In general, gray wolves are the largest of the animals included in the Canidae family, apart from some large breeds of domestic dogs.
In winter, gray wolves have a very dense and fluffy coat, with a short undercoat and long guard hairs. Most of the undercoat falls out in the spring and grows back in the fall. Winter wool is very resistant to cold; wolves in northern countries can remain calm in open areas at -40°, placing the muzzle between the hind legs and covering it with the tail. Wolf hair provides better insulation than dog hair and does not collect ice.

Their sense of smell is poorly developed compared to some breeds of hunting dogs. Because of this, they rarely catch hidden hares and birds, although they can easily track prey using fresh tracks.

A pack of wolves consists of a male, female and cubs. As a rule, wolves rarely accept strangers into their pack and often kill them. However, during times of threat, for example, during times of high numbers of artiodactyls, several flocks may unite to better protection. In areas with few wolves, the wolf is usually monogamous. Usually the pair remains for life until one of the wolves dies. However, after the death of one of the wolves, the couple quickly recovers with the help of the others. In the wild, wolves can breed from the age of two. Females can give birth to cubs once a year. Mating usually occurs at the end of winter. Gestation lasts 62-75 days, and babies are usually born in the summer. The average litter consists of 5-6 cubs. Wolf cubs are born blind and deaf, and are covered in short, soft grayish-brown fur. At birth they weigh 300-500 grams. During the first month they feed on their mother's milk. After 3 weeks, the wolf cubs leave the den for the first time. At 1.5 months of age, they are already able to flee from danger. They start eating solid food at 3-4 weeks of age. During the first four months of life, wolf cubs grow very quickly: during this time, the weight of the cub can increase almost 30 times.

Wolves are very territorial animals. They defend their territory from other packs by marking their territory with their scent, direct attacks and howling.

Wolves mainly feed on ungulates (sometimes 10-15 times larger than themselves). They hunt marmots, hares, badgers, foxes, ferrets, gophers, mice, hamsters, voles and other rodents, as well as insectivores. Wolves may also readily scavenge, especially during times of food shortage. They often eat waterfowl, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads and rarely - large insects. During harsh winter, packs often attack weak or wounded wolves, they can even eat the bodies of dead pack members.

Wolves are usually the dominant predator.
The body language of wolves consists of various expressions of the muzzle and tail position. An aggressive or defensive wolf is characterized by slow and deliberate movements, a high posture and raised hair; calm wolves have a calm posture, smooth hair, drooping ears and tail. Using howls, wolves gather a pack (usually before and after a hunt), transmit information, find each other during a storm or in unfamiliar territory, and communicate over long distances.

Although dogs and wolves are genetically very close, they tend to be natural conditions do not interbreed voluntarily. But, nevertheless, they can produce viable offspring, and all subsequent generations will also be able to have offspring.

The gray wolf was once the most common mammal in the world living north of 15°N latitude. in North America and 12°N. in Eurasia. Wolves typically have difficulty adapting to humans and the changes that humans make, and are therefore often referred to as indicator species. Wolves do not seem to be able to adapt to the expansion of civilization as easily as coyotes, for example, did. Although gray wolves are not endangered, wolf populations remain threatened in some areas.

Because wolves travel long distances, they can play important role in the spread of diseases. Infectious diseases spread by wolves include brucellosis, tularemia, listeriosis and anthrax. Wolves can also suffer from rabies. But, as a rule, if a wolf shows the first symptoms of the disease, it leaves its pack, thus preventing the spread of the disease.

Damage caused by wolves to livestock has been one of the main reasons for wolf hunting, and this may pose a serious problem for the conservation of wolf populations. Wolves, as a rule, are not dangerous to humans as long as there are few of them, they have sufficient food, they rarely encounter people and sometimes hunt. Cases of wolf attacks on humans are rare, but in the early 20th century such attacks occurred frequently.

Wolves are notoriously difficult to hunt due to their elusiveness, keen senses, and ability to quickly kill hunting dogs. When hunting wolves with dogs, greyhounds, hounds and fox terriers are usually used. The greyhounds chase and block the wolves until the heavier dogs arrive and do most of the fighting.

Wolf skins are used mainly for scarves and trimmings women's clothing, although they are also sometimes used in short cloaks, coats and rugs. Hunting wolves for their fur has little effect on their population size, since only the northern varieties of wolves (whose numbers are stable) have commercial value. Hunting wolves for fur remains a lucrative source of income for many Native Americans.

Keeping wolves as pets is becoming increasingly popular. In the United States alone, according to various estimates, from 80,000 to 2 million wolves live in homes. Wolves can be less predictable and controllable than dogs. Wolf cubs under the age of one year are, as a rule, not aggressive towards strangers, although their aggression increases with age, especially during the mating season. Males can be more aggressive and more difficult to control than females. Wolves are difficult to keep in standard kennels, as they can quickly learn how to open valves simply by watching people do it.

Although wolves are trainable, they lack the flexibility of dogs. As a rule, they react to coercive methods differently than dogs, they become afraid, become irritable and resist. Even when a certain behavior has been repeated several times, the wolf may become bored and ignore subsequent commands. When training a wolf, mere praise is not enough. Unlike dogs, wolves tend to respond more to hand signals than to voice signals.

Under certain weather conditions wolves can hear sounds at a distance of 9 kilometers in the forest, and at 16 km. in open areas.

The Vikings wore wolf skins and drank wolf blood before battle, which they took with them, to raise their morale.

The earliest images of wolves were found in caves in southern Europe; they are more than 20,000 years old.
It is impossible to tame a wolf and make it a guard dog, he is afraid strangers and will hide from them, and not bark.

The autoimmune disease lupus, or tuberculosis of the skin, literally means “red wolf” because in the eighteenth century doctors believed that the disease developed after a wolf bite.

Wolves distinguish about 200 million shades of smell, people only 5 million. The wolf family is able to smell the smell of other animals at a distance of 1.5 kilometers.

Wolf puppies always have blue eyes at birth. They turn yellow only at eight months.

The gestation period of a she-wolf is about 65 days. Wolf puppies are born deaf and blind, and weigh only half a kilogram.

Wolves were once the most common land predators the only places where they did not live - deserts and tropical forests.

Enormous pressure is created by the teeth in the cleft palate, approximately 300 kilograms per square centimeter (compared to 150 kg/cm^2 in a dog).

The North American gray wolf population in 1600 was 2 million. Today there are no more than 65 thousand of them left in North America.

A hungry wolf can eat 10 kilograms of meat in one sitting, which is like a man eating a hundred hamburgers in one sitting.

A wolf pack can consist of two or three individuals, or maybe ten times more
Wolves are descended from ancient animals called "Mesocyon", which lived about 35 million years ago. It was a small animal, similar to a dog, with short legs and a long body. Perhaps they, like wolves, lived in packs.

Wolves can swim up to 13 kilometers, using small membranes between their toes to help them move in the water.

Between 1883 and 1918, more than 80 thousand wolves were killed in the US state of Montana alone.

Adolf Hitler (whose name means "leading wolf") was fascinated by wolves and sometimes demanded to be called "Mr. Wolf" or "Conductor Wolf" as a pseudonym. "Wolf's Gulch" (Wolfsschlucht), "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) and "Werewolf" (Wehrwolf) were Hitler's code names for various military headquarters.

In the 1600s, Ireland was called the "Wolfland" because there were so many wolves there at the time. Wolf hunting was the most popular sport among the nobility, who used wolfhounds to locate the wolf and kill it.

Biologists have found that wolves will react to people imitating a wolf howl. It would be strange if it were different...

In 1927, a French policeman was convicted of shooting a boy he thought was a werewolf. That same year, the last wild wolf was killed in France.

When Europeans arrived in North America, the wolf became the most popular animal hunting game of all time. American history. These animals were on the verge of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. The US federal government even adopted a program to eradicate wolves from the western states in 1915.

Dire wolves (“canis dirus”) are one of the representatives of prehistoric wolves that lived in North America about two million years ago. They hunted mainly for prey of such size as mammoths.

Wolves can run at a speed of 32 km/h for a minute or two, and in moments of danger or persecution - up to 56 km/h. It has been observed that throughout the day they run at a “trot” (approximately 8 km/h) and can travel at this speed throughout the day.

The smallest representatives of wolves live in the Middle East, where they reach a mass of no more than 30 kilograms. The largest wolf individuals live in Canada, Alaska, and Russia, where they gain weight up to 80 kilograms.

Wolves use howls to communicate with disunited members of their group to rally before a hunt, or to warn rival packs to stay away from them. Lone wolves howl to attract mates or simply because they are alone. In fact, the wolf howl lasts no more than 5 seconds, just because of the echo it seems that the sound is longer.

The reflective layer in a wolf's eyes is called "tapetum lucidum" (Latin for "bright tapestry"), it glows in the dark and also contributes to the animal's night vision.

Where wolves live, there are often ravens (sometimes called "wolf birds"). Crows often follow packs of wolves to peck leftovers from the hunt, and also use wolves as protection.

According to Pliny the Elder, a first-century Greek scholar, the wolf of tongues rubs the gums of puppies to relieve pain when they emerge. He also believed that wolf dung could be used to treat stomach colic and cataracts.

The Aztecs used wolf liver in the treatment of melancholy as an ingredient in medicine. In addition, they pricked the dying person's chest with a sharpened wolf bone in an attempt to delay the date of death.

In the Middle Ages, Europeans used wolf liver powders to relieve pain during childbirth.

The Greeks believed that if someone ate the meat of a wolf, which kills lambs, then they were at high risk of becoming a vampire.

The Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves because they believed that the brothers of those killed would take revenge on them. In addition, the weapon that was used to kill the wolf was considered “damaged.”

The British King Edgard introduced a special annual tax of 300 skins for Wales, as a result of which the Welsh wolf population was quickly destroyed.

In 1500 the last wild wolf was killed in England, in 1700 in Ireland, and in 1772 on Danish soil.

Germany became the first country to place the wolf population under conservation laws in 1934. Under the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche (b.1844-d.1900) and Oswald Spengler (b.1880-d.1936), society became convinced that natural predators mattered much more than their after-kill value. By the way, in Germany all wild wolves were exterminated by the mid-nineteenth century.

Unlike other animals, wolves have a number of distinctive facial movements that they use to communicate and maintain relationships within the pack.

IN Japanese the word wolf is characterized as “great god”.
Between 6,000 and 7,000 wolf pelts are still traded worldwide each year. They are supplied mainly from outside

Russia, Mongolia and China, and are most often used for sewing coats.

In India, simple traps are still used to catch wolves. These traps are pits camouflaged with branches and leaves. The wolves fall into the pit on sharp stakes, and the people finish them off from above with stones.

Wolves were the first animals to be listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1973.

John Milton's famous poem "Lycidas" takes its name from the Greek "wolf cub" lykideus.

In the world of Harry Potter there was a werewolf Remus Lupine, whose name is directly related to Latin word"lupus", but the surname most likely came from Remus, the founder of Rome, who was fed by wolves.

The last wolf in Yellowstone Park was killed in 1926. In 1995, people managed to restore the wolf population, and ten years later, approximately 136 wolves roam the park in 13 packs.

Currently there are about 50 thousand wolves in Canada and Alaska, 6500 in the USA. On the European continent, in

Italy - less than 300, Spain about 2000, Norway and Sweden - less than 80. There are about 700 wolves in Poland, and 70 thousand in Russia.

Wolves never miss a chance to eat. Often, living in the harshest corners of the planet, wolves often eat their wounded or sick relatives. In addition, hunters should pick up a wolf caught in a trap as soon as possible, since there is a very high risk that other wolves will discover it and eat it.

Some wolves can reach a weight of 100 kg. The size of wolves increases exponentially with distance from the equator. Tropical wolves are often the same size as regular dogs, but wolves far north on average exceed a weight of 60 kg.

In 2008, Stanford University researchers discovered that mutations associated with black fur are found only in dogs, making black wolves the offspring of hybrids. Most often, such wolves are found in North America.

In areas where wolves were hunted to extinction, coyotes flourished. Recent research has shown that 22% of all coyotes in North America are descendants of wolves. Such animals are usually larger than ordinary coyotes, but smaller than wolves, and are also extremely cunning. They combine a lack of fear of humans and pronounced wolf instincts and a high level of aggression.

Although wolves are not the main carriers of rabies, they can easily catch it from raccoons and foxes. Unlike other animals, which become lethargic and disoriented when infected, wolves instantly become enraged. Most attacks on people are caused by rabies. And the desire of wolves to bite the neck or head often leads to the fact that the rabies virus enters the human brain much earlier than medical assistance is provided

America's wolves are less likely to attack people than their other counterparts. Historical records show more than 3,000 people were killed by wolves in France between 1580-1830. The wolves of India and Russia are not far behind them. In contrast, in the United States and Canada, there are extremely few officially confirmed wolf attacks.

Despite their close relationship, wolves perceive dogs mainly as prey. In Russia, at one time, stray dogs served as the main source of food for wolves.

The plague that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages caused tension between humans and wolves. In those days, corpses were destroyed much more quickly by wolves, and not by fire or burial underground. Such "burial" methods instilled a taste for human blood in entire generations of wolves. It was probably from then on that wolves included human meat in their “menu.”

Shukshin Vasily Makarovich is a famous Soviet writer, screenwriter, director and actor. Their literary works The writer built on the contrast between rural and urban lifestyles. One striking example is short story V. M. Shukshina "Wolves". Summary it will be given in the article.

Biography of Vasily Makarovich Shukshin (1929-1974)

Vasily Makarovich was born in 1929 in simple peasant family in the Altai outback. Shukshin Sr. was shot during the period of collectivization; the future writer was barely 5 years old at that time.

At the age of 17, Vasily Makarovich went to get a job on a collective farm. Over the next 8 years, the writer regularly changes his place and occupation, going from a mechanic at turbine and tractor factories to a Russian language teacher at a school in his native village.

In 1954, having persuaded his mother to sell her only cow, Shukshin went to Moscow with the proceeds and entered the directing department of VGIK. Two years later, Vasily Makarovich receives his first episodic role in the film “Quiet Flows the Don”, and after another 2 years his first story “Two on a Cart” will be published. Knowledge of the type of Russian person and the author’s extensive life experience can be felt by reading even a brief summary of “Wolves” by V. M. Shukshin.

The story of the story "Wolves"

The story "Wolves" was written in 1967 and became one of the iconic works literary creativity Vasily Makarovich. Summary of “Wolves” by V. M. Shukshin cannot convey the humor and depth of narration inherent in all the writer’s works. Despite their brevity, simplicity and unpretentiousness, all of Shukshin’s works are instructive and deeply moral.

Vasily Makarovich had high hopes for one of his first works, where he acted as a screenwriter. It's about about the historical film about Rasputin. In 1967, the project, on which the author had been working for more than two years, was rejected. Perhaps this event influenced the title and overall emotional plan of the story "Wolves".

Summary of the story "Wolves" by V. M. Shukshin

Reading the full work takes no more than 10 minutes. The summary of “Wolves” by Vasily Shukshin is comparable in volume to the original text, but, of course, loses in the expressiveness and imagery of the narrative. The writer is a recognized master of the short story.

The events of the work take place in an unnamed village. Naum, a still young, cunning man, and his son-in-law Ivan are the main ones characters story. The father-in-law and son-in-law do not like each other, as reported in the very first paragraph of the text. Naum considers Ivan too lazy, but his son-in-law does not like life in the village and his father-in-law, who always reproaches him for laziness.

The men agree to go into the forest for firewood, each on their own cart. On the way they meet a pack of wolves. Naum immediately turns around and sets his horse into a gallop, constantly shouting “Rob-ut!” At first, Ivan finds it funny; both his father-in-law’s fear and his inappropriate exclamation seem stupid to him. But then, when the pack led by the leader catches up with the sleigh, and Ivan, who has never seen the animal in person before, realizes that the wolf is not a yard dog, his laughter fades away.

The hero has nothing with him except a whip for the horse and hay in the sleigh. Naum, however, doesn’t even think about slowing down and helping his daughter’s husband; he didn’t even agree to hand over the ax right away, and he threw it to the side of the road. Ivan gets off the sleigh, and the wolves catch up and bully his horse.

The pack does not touch the man, but he is angry and offended. Ivan scolds his father-in-law for cowardice, promises to beat him for meanness, but cannot catch up with Naum. The ending of the story is both funny and tragic at the same time. Upon returning to the village, Ivan finds his wife and Naum in the company of a policeman. The father-in-law accuses his son-in-law of rowdyism and dislike for power, Ivan is taken to the “rural jail” “out of harm’s way,” although the policeman admits that he doesn’t like Naum either.

Morality in the story "Wolves"

Having described two chases - the wolves for Ivan and Ivan for Naum, the writer very subtly showed the reader how easy it is for a person to turn into a beast. Revenge, anger and banal resentment do not paint him as well as pettiness, cowardice, meanness and quarrelsomeness.

If before the death of the horse, all the reader’s sympathies are on the side of the lazy but simple Ivan, then after his threats to his father-in-law, the reader comes to the conclusion that they - The policeman in the finale shows more sympathy for Ivan than he does for his own father-in-law.