The wolf appears in many aspects of common culture. ranging from nursery rhymes to popular horror movies and some religions, some of which are mentioned here.


The wolf is probably known mainly fron its appearances in Grimms fairy tales, such as little red riding hood and the three little pigs,
as well as seen in horror movies such as an American werewolf in London, underworld and ginger snaps, (the latter film using
it as a mirror towards female puberty)and more recently in the bbc science fiction series being human.


Of course the most obvious link of the wolf and common culture is that of the werewolf(from the old English words for wolf and man). Also known as lycanthropes (coming from the Greek for wolf and man)
these beings are mythological, known either from shapeshifting from wolf to man (used in medieval times as proof of witchcraft) or turning into a howling wolf being once every full moon and attacking people in a murderous rampage before turning back into a human at dawn, the result of a curse or being bitten by a wolf or another werewolf.This mythical beast is best known throughout Europe and the Americas.


Wolves are also known in many religions, they were hunted and feared throughout the judeo christian religions in medieval times for apparently being minions of satan, or evil shapeshifting witches and the Apache hunted them as a rite of passage. However, the Wiccan and druid religions hold these beautiful creatures in good stead, many choosing them as their power animal and protective talismans.