Dog and Wolf Characters in Czech Folktales and Anecdotes

Folkloristics 10/1 (2025): 11–20
Author: Jaroslav Otčenášek
Text:

The dog and wolf characters are very common in Czech folktales and anecdotes. However, there are significant differences in the nature of these characters in different types of folktales, their activities and roles vary. In animal tales, both the dog and the wolf have almost the same functions as in ancient fables (Aesop, Babrius) and medieval satires (Roman de Renart). In tales of magic, however, they have significantly different functions, they are often given names and sometimes undergo a transformation (usually into a man). It is certainly interesting that neither the wolf nor the dog appears in religious and realistic tales, so they have not been analyzed further. They can be found in humorous tales and anecdotes, but they have merely secondary roles, often just to enhance the comic effect.

Keywords: oral narrative, Czech tale, Czech anecdote, dog, wolf, fables.