What does the moon have to do with the wolf?

Question

You can call it a bunch of fairy tales, but everywhere i go i see pictures of the wolf howling to the moon. People believe they are howling to the moon, because it looks like they're howling to the sky. But do you guys have any sources that say anything of the moon having to do with the wolves?

Answer 1

What a cool question! Living in the country, I know that wolves and coyote's don't howl just when the moon is full. Coyote's howl to find each other. As do wolves and dogs. But sometimes I like to think they are just singing to the beautiful moon. I have never known of a wolf, coyote or dog to howl at the sun. In mythology the werewolf change is supposed to be triggered by the full moon. And people used to think the full moon caused madness. The term "Lunatic" is taken from Lunar, refering to our moon. It is interesting that crimes against persons (rape, assault,etc) increase during the full moon. Women's menstrual cycle is the same as the lunar cycle, as is the length of a pregnancy. The ocean tides are in sync with the moon phases. If that old moon can pull those huge bodies of water around, it may well influence our moods. I know I sometimes feel like singing and dancing under a full moon.
I know, I'm a lunatic.

Answer 2

Wolves don't howl at the full moon, they howl during a full moon, or on any other night where they want to identify pack members, and the location of other wolves in the vicinity. I would argue that they probably howl during each different phase of the moon, since it would indicate their marking of time in an elemental sort of way.

Because a wolf howling during a full moon seemed to be more mysterious to ancient people, and because wolves are relatively quiet creatures (in terms of avoiding contact with humans) the ancients linked the mysteries of the wolf and the moon together. It also gave ancients a template from which to form their own social organizations, so even if the 'myth' about wolves and the full moon wasn't real, it gave man a symbol by which to understand the world around him.

Even now, to howl at the moon serves a more mythological need to man than physical. To howl means to connect with nature, to howl with the moon means to cry for understanding on a primal level.

Answer 3

Essentially ancient cultures worshiped both sun and moon. Wolves do howl at the moon - so the link was in folklore is that the wolve is the creature OF the moon. being that both are usually out at night - though sometimes seen in the day.
There are MANY links to be drawn, but essentially it has to do with ancient cultures, religious beliefs and the contiued celtic traditions in todays Euro-American cultures.

Just read the below for a very brief understanding of Celtic/Wiccan beliefs and how the wolve is played out in that. I would suggest also looking a Roman history and the links generated from Romulus and Remus in association with wolves.

Answer 4

The moon has everything to do with the wolf, it's there signal to go hunting and their not exactly howling at the moon they are calling the other wolves to join the pack to go hunting for their prey.

Answer 5

If the truth be known I beakon the wolf
I watch all that happens in the night
I hold the power to blind men
And often I use it when I feel
I layed dormant in 69
I still bare that pretty flag
I will continue to shine
Who am I?

Wm. A. Ingram

Answer 6

Some, not me, believe in something called Lycanthropy, it is believed by them that when there is a full mppn certain cursed people turn into wolmen and roam about doing evil deeds.

Answer 7

they both are mysterious and in some lights spooky, that could be the link that binds them together