Why Wolves Howl at the Moon

Long ago, when forests were dense and spirits still roamed the land, there was no moon in the sky. Only the stars shone at night.

One day, a tribe passed amid the lush grasslands and primordial groves. They were looking for a place to call their home. They walked and walked until the night caught up with them. Fearing the monsters that hid in the darkness, the people camped by the river.

In the morning, when it was still dark, the elder came out of his tent. He reached the shore by following the sounds of the running water. He washed his face with the clear waters as the birds were just starting their morning tunes. He opened his eyes and froze in awe⸺like a scarlet dream, a rosy dawn emerged over the cold crones of the trees.

The elder stood there for a long time, contemplating, until he turned around, wiping his tears, and said, "My kin, we found our home! Look, it's greeting us with love!" And so a village was born by the river. They called it Zarnitsy for the picturesque sunsets that the place became renowned for. Indeed, the local sunsets are sublime! It was not uncommon for artists to travel from afar for a chance to paint the local landscapes at dawn or dusk.

A young man named Bronislav lived in that village once. His strong arms had the might of a bear, and his cheerful voice would always brighten the mood. Everyone in Zarnitsy was enamored of him. Even when the old grandmother sage went onto her, she would look at the young man and say: "Sweet boy Broniskav, a pillar of support for the village. He never leaves one in trouble." That much was true. Bronislav was always there to help.

One incredibly hot summer, the crop burned out, leaving people to starve. Bronislav went hunting in the forest day and night to feed the villagers. The sage warned him: "My dear, you are doing good for our people, saving everyone from hunger... Yet you shouldn't slaughter any more beasts in the forest. If the Leshy finds out, you will be in trouble. What are we to do without you?"

The young man embraced the chieftain and said, "Don't worry, wise one, look how strong I've grown. I won't let myself get in trouble." And so the winter didn't take a single villager's life.

That spring, a young maiden came to Zarnitsy; her name was Luna. Her eyes were like the shimmer of a silver necklace in a clear stream; her hair was black like the night sky. Her face was fair as if the sun never touched it. Luna was quiet, shrouded in mystery. She said she came to see the famous local sunrise. The villagers didn't welcome the newcomer with bread and salt but wearily passed her by. Only Bronislav did not betray the tradition of hospitality and invited the maiden to his house. They quickly got to know each other. Either captivated by her beauty or bewitched by a spell, Bronislav spent the whole day with Luna. They looked for snowdrop flowers that sprouted from under the melting snow, watched the ice floating down the river, and in the evening, they sat at home, talking over tea.

It was not a spell nor mere affection. It was pure love. Then, removing a lonely tear from her cheek, the maiden told the young man the truth. She hadn't come to look at the dawn but to lure Bronislav into the forest. The Leshy found out that the young man killed his animals to feed the village. The lord of the forest was angry. Unable to leave the woods, he sent his daughter to lure the young man into the dark groves. Once Bronislav would set foot in the forest, he would forget his home and never come back.

Sitting under a willow by the river, the lovers watched as the delicate watercolor of the sky grew coyly into a fiery orange until the golden sun lighted the sky. The same evening they had to say their farewell.

The maiden came once again the next morning. She kept their secret from her father, the lord of the forest. But the Leshy did not give up and sent his daughter again. Days passed. As the flowers greeted the first rays of the morning sun, so did Luna meet Bronislav at his porch. As the sun went down, so did Luna return to the woods. The young man always watched her with a tender gaze. A whole month passed this way.

But then, one morning, Bronislav went out onto the porch only to find it empty. He searched all day in vain. Determined, he marched to the forest to look for Luna. On his way, the tree leaves shook in the wind. In their rustle, he heard Luna's voice.

"Do not follow me into the forest, dear Bronislav!" she said, "My father found out about our love. He keeps me in the forest to lure you. As soon as you step into the woods, you will forever wander among the trees. You will forget your home and stay here, serving the lord of the forest as a wild beast." Bronislav tried to answer, but the leaves were silent.

A day had passed. Too strong was his love, and so the young man set off to reunite with his beloved. Long had he walked among the trees; the thick crowns cast deep shadows despite the right sun. The Leshy was making his move, twisting and changing the road Bronislav took, sending his wild servants to distract the young man until the night comes.

But the maiden didn't let her father prevail. A sudden rustling of the trees would show Bronislav the right path; a squirrel would waive its tail to warn him of the traps laid by the Leshy in his way. The omens kept her beloved save from harm.

Finally, Bronislav reached Luna's home at the heart of the forest. He saw the maiden sitting under a large oak, crying, and ran to embrace her. "Here I am! Your beloved!" he said, "My soul, why are you crying?"

The maiden looked at him and answered: "The light of my eyes, I should not have led you here. When the night comes, my father will turn you into a werewolf and let you out of the woods to slaughter the people in your village, just like animals you killed in his forest in the winter."

They held each other in a firm embrace. "And where is the Leshy himself? I will fight him. I won't let him harm you or the villagers."

"The forest is the lord himself," Luna replied. "You can't fight it, and you will not leave if he does not wish so." The sun began to set - the shadows grew longer, the forest grew stronger. "You can't stay," Luna said. "I will lead you out of the forest, but you must promise that you will never return. Or else he will turn you into a monster and make you kill. I won't be able to break his spell."

They pressed their bodies against each other one last time with a goodbye kiss. It was time for Bronislav to escape, but his hands would not let go of Luna's. The sun disk touched the crowns of the trees. Whether it was the Leshy's doing or the force of love, Bronislav stood frozen in place. Luna saw his face turn lupine. "Hurry, my love!" she exclaimed.

And hurry, he did. Bronislav ran into tears, looking over his shoulder. The way back was not easy. Darkness covered everything. So much that the young man couldn't see his own hands. Luna knew her beloved wouldn't make it, and her last words: "You will not have his soul, father! I won't let you!"

The forest moaned and howled in anger. The wind was howling, and the trees were rattling. The lightning flashed and crackled among the sinister clouds and the crying beasts. Luna faced her fears and flew high into the sky, and turned into a beautiful celestial body. Her shine was so bright that it broke through the thick veil of darkness, illuminating Bronislav's path as if it was day.

With Luna's help, he escaped from the forest. Alas, it was too late. The creature that emerged from the woods was not human. Its furious roar frightened the people it loved so much. With all her might, Luna called her beloved's name from the skies, "My dear, remember your home! Do not kill those you love!"

The werewolf turned to the voice and recognized the pale face of his beloved in the moon. Oh, how he howled in pain!

A miracle. The dark spirit left the moaning creature, turning it into a large grey wolf. Luna has tamed the monster. Yet Bronislav could not return to his home like that. Tormented by his loneliness, he wandered the empty fields, looking for his beloved, calling out her name.

The wolf's howls haunted the Leshy every night. Seeing how pure his love was, the lord of the forest let Bronislav stay in his domain, giving him a new home. He made another wolf to be Bronislav's companion and put Luna's soul into the grey lupine. Leaving the heavenly body to shine and guide people at night. And so the lovers lived their lives together in their new home.

Ever since then, the wolves howl at the moon, paying tribute to the purity of their ancestor's love.