Wolfy was the son of Daddy Wolf and Mommy Wolfana. If a stranger met him he would think Wolfy was a nice and pleasant cub, but after only a minute or two in his presence the stranger would change his mind.  Wolfy would growl and snarl, bite and push, slap and hit everyone who didn’t do what Wolfy wanted at that very moment.

Wolfy easily got cross about everything that wasn’t exactly the way he’d imagined it.

Mommy Wolfana and Daddy Wolf had tried everything they could think of to make Wolfy stop. Mommy Wolfana would talk calmly and explain patiently. Then she too would growl and snarl at Wolfy, but to no avail. Daddy Wolf would push and slap Wolfy’s paw every time Wolfy reached out to hit somebody. Once Daddy Wolf even bit Wolfy to teach him that biting hurts. That didn’t help.

Finally, left with no hope or strength, the parents took their son to the Forest Wizard, the Serpent.

The Serpent listenеd to their story and then asked to be left alone with Wolfy. The Wizard looked at Wolfy’s grey coat, at his pointed black ears and at the white tip of his tail. Then the Serpent headed toward his cave and made a sign for Wolfy to follow.

There, inside the cave, where the daylight was replaced with mystic twilight, the Serpent stopped in front of a fireplace circled with stones. He blew upon the wood and instantly there burned a great fire. The Wizard moved some of the stones. The wood, touched by the fire, sizzled and a flock of sparks flew in the air. Some fell on the straw covering the cave and soon fiery tongues were crawling on the floor. Wolfy drew back. The Wizard again blew upon the straw. This time out of his mouth came water which put out the flames. The Serpent quickly put the stones back in their places. He turned towards Wolfy, looked deeply into his wide open scared eyes and said:

“The fire of life roars within you. It gives warmth and power, but it can also burn and destroy. Only magic stones like the ones circling my fireplace could help you lead it in the right direction.”

“What are these stones and where can I find them?” quietly asked Wolfy.

“You alone can discover your magic stones,” answered the Serpent. “These are mine. Look!”

Wolfy took a closer look at the stones and to his surprise saw that something was written on every stone, etched as if with fire. He bent down and read:

“I close my eyes and count to ten.”

“I dance.”

“I skip.”

“I scribble.”

“I say I’m angry”.

“I think.”

There were many stones circling the Wizard’s fireplace. Wolfy gazed at the biggest one on the other side of the fireplace.

At that moment the Serpent took his wand, hit exactly that stone and broke from it a small piece.

The Wizard handed it to Wolfy.

“This is my gift to you. You alone will find the other stones for your fireplace. But that one is the most important. Take good care of it and do not ever forget that you have it.”

Wolfy clutched the stone in his paw. It was warm and smooth.

When he left the Wizard’s cave, Wolfy opened his paw and saw that upon the stone small fiery letters were shining: “I choose the direction of the fire.”

Wolfy clutched the gift in his paw and headed toward the forest, determined to find the rest of his magic stones.

 

Suggestion:

Draw the fireplace, circled with stones. On every stone write down something you can do when you feel very angry and you really want to hit someone.