An old wolf who had once been leader of the pack roamed the mountains alone. One evening, as the sun sank between the peaks, he saw his shadow rise on the grey rock behind him and he was reminded of his former glory. The shadow was menacing and fierce and three times his size.

The wolf took the shadow as a sign. ‘This is how I really am,’ he told himself. ‘Powerful, magnificent, feared and respected by all. And I will be so again.’ The wolf descended from the mountain to reclaim his rightful place as leader of the pack.

But in the forest the shadows were soft and the wolf was diminished. The pack saw his scrawny, sagging skin and laughed at his grand words and arrogant threats. They chased him back to the barren heights, where he lived the rest of his days waiting for the sun to set.

© Richard Parkin 2021