The Wounded Wolf by Jean Craighead George

Summary: The Wounded Wolf by Jean Craighead George is about Roko who becomes the injured wolf on a hunt during the "season of starvation", struggles to survive and is later rescued by his pack leader, Kiglo

Characters:

Roko - He is "the wounded wolf"

Kiglo - The pack leader

Ravens - Their "kong, kong" sound resonates the closeness of Roko's death

White Fox - It's "hahaha" is a realization of Roko's struggle to stay alive

Snowy Owl - Follows Roko in a way that is cautious

Grizzly Bear - Wakes from his winter's rest and follows the train of animals that have followed Roko into a corner

Caribou - The animals that Roko's pack had been chasing during the season of starvation

Musk-ox - By forming a circle, they alert Roko to the grizzly that has awakened

Section 1:

  • At dawn Roko, a wolf wounded by caribou, looks at his pack which is led by Kiglo leave him when he is "gravely" wounded during the season of starvation
  • Wounded Roko is followed by ravens, a white fox and an owl because they are hungry and he is hurt; he can become potential food if he dies
  • The Ravens say "kong, kong" and the white fox says "hahaha" as they follow the injured Roko
  • After smelling "the wind", Roko realizes that the grizzly bear has awakened from his "winter's sleep" and will have a craving for flesh
  • Roko "strains" to reach "the shelter rock" as the other animals follow
  • The raven picks at Roko's wound, the white fox picks at Roko's toes as the owl gets even closer and the the grizzly bear "stumbles onto Toklat Ridge"
  • Very close to the shelter Rock, Roko falls and the ravens attack him as the white fox attacks his wound, the owl "waits"
  • Roko gets up, manages to shake off the ravens and the white fox and wedges himself into shelter rock
  • Roko is protected on three sides and growls at all of the animals following him
  • Roko here's his pack sing the "hunt's end" song and take roll call in the "Toklat pack"
  • Kiglo sounds off twice but Roko cannot lift his head to answer at either time and the pack remains silent
  • The raven calls his "kong, kong" which alerts Roko's pack that he is dying
  • Kiglo breaks up the animal train that had followed Roko to his near death
  • Kiglo brings Roko meat and "excitedly" wags his tail
  • Roko honors Kiglo by licking Kiglo's chin
  • Kiglo tells Roko that Kiglo is Roko's leader by putting his mouth around his nose which binds the pack
  • Roko wags his tail
  • As Roko feels better as Kiglo brings food to him for days
  • The scraps of food go to he animals who once followed him and even to a "long-tailed jaeger full
  • Roko wags his tail
  • On a dawn, he "walks" and "romps" and the "hunt's end song" is sung an a roll call is made
  • As the pack remains silent, Kiglo and Roko twice say that they are there
  • The dawn is filled with celebration and Roko "prances down the Ridge" finally at great strength to completely join the pack

Other Notes:

  • Jean Craighead George's authenticity of the animals in her stories comes from her upbringing in a rural environment where she grew up around animals and nature
  • Jean Craighead George calls her work "documentary novels" for the nature that she describes within her work is true to life

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