19th century wolves

[lucy]

The San Emiliano hostal I stayed in this summer had an interesting book issued by the Diario de Leon: “El Siglo de Leon – todos sus pueblos y sus gentes.  Vol. 1” – in fact it’s one of those series of supplements which you can have bound into a book if you collect them all. When I read this anecdote about wolves, I immediately thought the Iberianature forumers might be interested.  The book in general was fascinating - stuffed with old photographs, including some heartbreaking ones of slain bears.  I always forget how imposingly large the Iberian bear is – not surprising really that the woman Nick mentions hid away for a week after her encounter. The boy in this story also goes into a state of shock.

The story concerns an inhabitant of the village Lumajo, 1,360 metres high, in the Somiedo area, in 1860. 

“Pedro del Potro Riesco era un joven que entró pronto en el Ejército y a los 23 años ya era alférez.  Volviendo un día de diciembre de permiso a su casa, le dejó el carruaje en Villaseca y tenia que recorrer andando los casi 5 kilómetros que hay de distancia.  Al poco de caminar notó que le seguían dos lobos y que cuando él se paraba, ellos también lo hacían.  Poco a poco fueron acortando distancia y cerca del pueblo los tenía tan prómixos que notaba cómo le daban con el rabo en las piernas. Entonces los perros de Sabugo (un conocido abogado cuya familiar vivía entonces en Lumajo) olieron a las fieras y salieron contra ellos, haciéndolos huir.  Así pudo llegar el joven a su casa, pero con un susto tan grande que estuvo 8 días sin articular palabra del miedo que pasó.  Cuando la semana siguiente recuperó la habla, pidió a su madre que le hiciera una tortilla de 8 huevos.
‘Es para levársela a los perros de abogado Sabugo, que me han salvado la vida.’

[Dave]

Hi Lucy
Remember this story from my Suegras youth.
http://www.iberianatureforum.com/index.php/topic,41.0.html
which I posted in May.
regards
Dave

[nick]

Great stuff Lucy

[lucy]

There's something almost fairy tale-like about these stories, especially the one of your mother-in-law, Dave, being followed home by a wolf and emptying her basket of apples.  Straight out of Grimm's. 

[nick]

And we less romantically have your C18th wolves

http://www.iberianature.com/spainblog/2007/02/21/wolves-in-18th-century-spain/

[nick]

“Pedro del Potro Riesco was a young man who entered the Army at an early age and by the age of 23 was already a second lieutenant. Returning on leave one day in December, he left his cart in Villaseca and had to walk the last steep 5km to his home. Not long after setting out he realised that there were two wolves following him and when he stopped, they would do the same. He hurried on, but they drew closer and closer, and as he approached the village he he could their tails brush between their legs. Then, just in time, the dogs belonging to Sabugo (a well known lawyer whose family lived in the area)  caught the scent of the beasts and set off in pursuit. The young man was able to reach his home,  but he was so shocked and scared that he was struck dumb for eight long days. When he finally recovered his speech the following week, he asked his mother for an omelette with eight eggs.
‘It is to give to the dogs of Sabugo the lawyer, for they saved my life.’