Volume 6, Issue 6, February 1997

PARABLE OF THE OUTSIDER

The pair of animal eyes glowed in the light of the campfire in Algonquin Park as the couple sat relaxing after a day of canoeing and swimming. Musing by the fire, in the dark of the evening, they noticed the visitor watching them from the bushy perimeter of the campsite.

After several minutes surveillance the animal slowly walked out of the gloom and into the circle of firelight. It was a wolf. It looked the couple in the eye, then walked around them and out the other side of the camp.

This extraordinary visitor claimed the focus of the conversation until the fire died down and it was bedtime. Was it a tame wolf? How come it was alone in the campground among humans? What was it looking for? It appeared healthy and fit. It appeared to appreciate our presence and friendliness.

The next day the camp grapevine said there was a wolf sighted in the campground by several campers. Some were alarmed, a few were curious.

The man spoke with one of the park wardens and learned that sometimes a wolf pack will reject one of its members and not allow it to be part of the pack again. He thought this was the case here. The wolf was lonely and seeking companionship. It wanted to be part of a community. As the wolf was showing no hostility or other threatening actions the warden said to treat it as a wild animal, not attempt to feed it or threaten it, and no harm should take place.

Several days later a man and a boy and a dog set up camp. They had met the first couple before and welcomed the reunion. The boy was excited that the man recognized his dog, even his name, Blackie.

In their conversation the couple told the newcomers about the friendly wolf. The man explained that wolves and dogs will look each other in the eye, then if either wishes friendship they rub noses. To hold the stare is a challenge to fight.

The next morning the boy and Blackie came rushing to the couple's camp to tell them that the evening before the wolf had appeared at their camp. The wolf and Blackie confronted each other, each staring into the other's eyes. Then the wolf leaned forward and rubbed noses with the dog. The wolf and the dog played with each other a little and the wolf disappeared.

It was just like you said, the boy exclaimed, and his dog and the wolf became friends.

The wolf whose own community had made him an outsider was obviously looking for companionship. Living on the edge of the campground the wolf was showing his need of community and acceptance.

The end of the story is that a few days later the wolf wandered into a nearby group camp where a gathering of intellectually challenged young people were camping. A girl sitting at the back of the campfire circle had a hotdog in her hand when the wolf approached her. Frightened the girl screamed and flung her arms about. The wolf took alarm and in the ensuing disturbance nipped the girl's hand.

Because of this the park wardens were compelled by regulations to protect them from lawsuits to shoot the wolf.

So the wolf died - an outsider.

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"Religion NOW" is published in limited edition by the Rev. Ross E. Readhead, B.A., B.D., Certificate of Corrections, McMaster University, in the interest of furthering knowledge and participation in religion. Dialogue is invited and welcomed.