Bears and wolves are our fairy-tale archenemies, and in these tales we teach our children only, and always, to kill them, rather than to tiptoe past and let them sleep. Maybe that's why I'm comforted by the image of a small child curled in the embrace of a mother bear. We need new bear and wolf tales for our times, since so many of our old ones seem to be doing us no good. Now we're finding that it takes our every effort of will and imagination to pull back, to stop in our tracks as hunger and hunted, to halt our habit of killing, before every kind of life we know arrives at the brink of extinction.
In fairy tales, bears and wolves are often portrayed as the antagonists, reinforcing a narrative that encourages children to view these creatures as threats rather than respecting them as part of nature. This perspective implies a need for new stories that celebrate coexistence rather than combat, especially as we confront modern challenges concerning wildlife preservation. The image of a child with a bear evokes a sense of harmony that contrasts with the traditional tales that endanger such animals.
Barbara Kingsolver suggests that our cultural stories must evolve to reflect the urgency of environmental issues. The habit of harming wildlife has detrimental effects, pushing many species toward extinction. As we grapple with these realities, we are urged to reconsider our instincts and shift towards a mindset that encourages protection rather than destruction, fostering a deeper connection with all forms of life.
