I ran up to my dear friend Ferko who had healed my injured leg. He was sitting on the stump of a tree, all by himself. “If I can help you in any way, say the word,” I said.

Ferko not only needed me. He needed all the wolves to come to his aid. Not a problem. I told him to keep his spirits up, and I left. By evening the next day, I returned with my pack. They were waiting in the woods.

Ferko could now go back to the king and show him how he could summon wolves. He went to the king and told him to come to the hill and watch. Then he returned, leapt on my back, and quick as lightning, I flew around the woods and the wolves rose up around us, our numbers increasing until we counted in the thousands.

We charged the king. “Go on, go on, Ferko!” I cried. Many more wolves appeared, and the terrified king begged us to stop.

“Go on, Go on!” We would not stop until the king had given up all his kingdom, and he and all his wicked friends were destroyed. Go on, Ferko!

Ferko’s Wolf in The Grateful Beasts, Yellow Fairy Book. Illustration by H.J. Ford.