The Two Wolves: A War Within
A Timeless Battle Between Darkness and Light—And the Choices That Shape Us
Inside you, two wolves battle—one thrives on anger, fear, and greed, the other on love, patience, and kindness. Their fight never ends, but you hold the power to decide which one grows stronger. Every thought, every choice, every moment is a chance to feed one and starve the other.
The Fire Inside - Grandfather’s Perspective
I see the boy watching me, his dark eyes like still water, waiting for the ripples of my words. He is young yet, but I know the weight of time. I see the shape of the man he will become—broad shoulders that will carry burdens, hands that will someday hold another’s life as gently as he now holds the earth between his fingers. I see the questions he does not yet know how to ask.
I let the fire speak first. Its embers glow like the last edge of a setting sun, its heat pressing against my skin like a memory I cannot shake.
"A fight is going on inside me," I say at last, my voice threading through the night air. "It has been there for as long as I have drawn breath. It is a terrible fight between two wolves."
His brow furrows. A wolf, he understands—strong, fast, and clever. He has seen their prints in the soft morning earth, their eyes in the dark brush just beyond the firelight. He waits, knowing there is more.
"One is fierce and hungry," I tell him. "His teeth are bared, his breath hot with anger. He is made of envy and greed, of pride that will not bow and shame that festers. He whispers of what is owed, what is unfair, what must be taken. He thrives on resentment, on the slow rot of grudges held too long. He is the voice that urges me to strike first, to wound so that I will not be wounded."
The boy’s fingers tighten in the dirt. He has known this wolf.
"The other is different." I close my eyes and feel the second presence, as I have felt it all my life, quiet and patient as the wind through the trees. "This one moves with the hush of snowfall. His eyes are kind, his heart steady. He is love, hope, humility, the strength that bends but does not break. He is the voice that reminds me to listen, to offer my hand instead of my fist. He is the one who finds joy even in sorrow, who knows that kindness is not weakness, that patience is not surrender."
The fire crackles. A branch shifts, and the shadows leap. I see his small hands unclench, his shoulders ease. He knows this wolf too.
For a long moment, we listen—to the rustling leaves, to the song of crickets, to the silence where our ancestors watch. Then, his voice, hesitant but certain:
"Which wolf will win?"
I turn to him, this boy who is still so soft, so open. I think of the times I have stumbled, the times I have let my anger steer my steps. I think of the moments when mercy felt impossible, when forgiveness seemed like a distant shore. I have been both wolves.
"The one I feed," I say.
His lips press together, his eyes shadowed with thought. I reach out, resting my hand against his head, feeling the warmth of him, the steady thrum of life beneath his skin.
"It is always a choice," I tell him. "Every day, every breath. The fight will never leave you, but neither will the choice. And so you must ask yourself, again and again: which wolf will you feed?"
The fire burns low. The night grows colder. Above us, the stars scatter like seeds across the sky. The boy does not answer me, not yet, but I see the knowledge settling into him, the weight of it fitting into his bones.
He will choose. Again and again. As I have. As we all must.
Lessons from the Two Wolves
“Which wolf will win?”
“The one you feed.”
Such a simple exchange. Just a few words passed from an old man to a child beside a quiet fire. And yet, within that moment, within that lesson, is the blueprint of an entire life.
Lesson One: The Question That Will Follow You
“Which wolf will win?”
Sit with that question.
Think about yesterday. Think about the way you spoke to the people around you. Did you build them up, or did you cut them down? Did you act out of love, or out of frustration? Did you listen, or did you dismiss?
Think about the way you speak to yourself. Do you feed the dark wolf with self-doubt, with cruel words you would never say to another?
Who did you feed?
And who will you feed today?
Because this is not a story you can listen to once and forget.
There will be days when you fail. When you realize you have been feeding the wrong wolf for weeks, months, years. When you see the damage done, to yourself and to others.
But the wolves do not hold grudges. They do not tally up your past mistakes. Every morning, they wake with you. Every morning, they are hungry.
And every morning, you decide which one to feed.
Lesson Two: The Wolves Are Not Just Opposites—They Are Twins
At first, it’s easy to see the two wolves as entirely separate: one good, one evil. But consider this—these wolves are not strangers. They come from the same place.
They are twins. They are both you.
What does that mean? It means that your capacity for love and your capacity for hatred come from the same heart. That your anger and your compassion are not separate forces, but deeply connected.
Think about it: The reason you feel anger is often because you care. You get jealous because you value something. You feel bitterness because you have been wounded. These emotions don’t arise from nowhere—they are distorted reflections of things that could, in another context, be virtues.
If the dark wolf and the light wolf are twins, then to starve one is not just to deny it food—it is to reshape its hunger into something else. Maybe your anger becomes courage. Maybe your pain becomes wisdom.
And maybe the battle is not about destroying the dark wolf, but about teaching it to serve a better purpose.
Lesson Three: The Wolf You Starve Will Not Disappear—He Will Linger
There’s a danger in thinking that if you stop feeding the dark wolf, he will vanish. He won’t. He will weaken, yes. He will shrink into the shadows. But he will always be there, waiting.
And if you neglect him too much, if you pretend he does not exist, something dangerous happens—he grows desperate.
Think about a starving animal. At first, it is weak. But if you ignore it long enough, it becomes frantic, wild, unpredictable. This is what happens when people repress their anger, their fear, their pain.
If you tell yourself you are not allowed to feel resentment, it doesn’t go away—it festers beneath the surface. And then, one day, it explodes.
So what do you do? You acknowledge the dark wolf. You do not let him take control, but you do not deny his existence either.
That is how you truly keep him at bay. Not through force, but through awareness.
Lesson Four: The People Around You Help Feed Your Wolves
You are not the only one feeding these wolves.
The company you keep, the voices you listen to, the stories you tell yourself—all of these are sources of nourishment.
So ask yourself:
Who in your life feeds your dark wolf? Who stirs up your anger, fuels your resentment, justifies your worst instincts?
Who in your life feeds your light wolf? Who reminds you of goodness, patience, and grace when you are struggling?
And more importantly—which wolf are you feeding in others?
When you speak to your friends, your family, your colleagues, do you fan the flames of their bitterness, their envy? Or do you encourage their better instincts?
Because the truth is, we are all feeding each other’s wolves, every day, in ways we don’t even realize.
And maybe the best way to feed our own light wolf is to help someone else feed theirs.
Lesson Five: The Battle Is Not Just With Yourself—It Is Generational
In the story, an old man tells a child about the battle inside him. But if you look closely, you realize something:
The old man is not just talking about himself.
He is warning the boy. He is passing down a truth, a responsibility. He is teaching the next generation to see the wolves before they are too strong to control.
Think about what that means.
If you do not teach your children, your students, your friends, your siblings about these wolves, who will? If you do not show them how to feed the light wolf, how to recognize the voice of the dark one, what will happen?
The battle inside you does not end with you. It spills out—into your family, your community, the world you leave behind.
So what legacy are you leaving?
Are you leaving behind a world where the light wolf is strong, where kindness and wisdom are cultivated?
Or are you passing down generations of bitterness, of resentment, of unresolved anger?
Because the next time a child sits by a fire, listening to an elder, they will not just inherit the story of The Two Wolves.
They will inherit the world that story has shaped.
Lesson Six: The Dark Wolf Is Not Evil—He Is Misguided
At first glance, the dark wolf seems like the villain of the story. He is rage, greed, resentment, jealousy—things we have been taught to reject. But let’s take a step back.
What if the dark wolf isn’t evil—just misguided?
Anger, fear, and pain exist for a reason. They are not inherently bad. They are survival instincts. Anger is a response to injustice. Fear is a response to danger. Jealousy is a response to scarcity. The problem isn’t these emotions themselves—it’s what we do with them.
Think of fire. Fire can warm a home, cook food, keep you safe. But fire can also destroy.
The dark wolf’s instincts can be channeled. Anger can become the fuel for courage. Fear can sharpen wisdom. Grief can deepen empathy.
So maybe the lesson is not about rejecting the dark wolf entirely—but teaching him. Guiding him. Turning his hunger into strength without letting him consume us.
Because if we try to kill the dark wolf, so also dies courage, wisdom and empathy.
Lesson Seven: The Wolves Do Not Always Look Like Wolves
The story tells us the wolves live inside us, but what if they also exist outside of us—in disguise?
Sometimes the dark wolf doesn’t look like rage. Sometimes he looks like a toxic friendship, a relationship that drains you, a habit that seems harmless until you realize how much it takes from you.
And sometimes the light wolf doesn’t look like kindness. Sometimes he looks like boundaries, like the courage to walk away from something that is hurting you.
Not everything that feels “good” feeds the light wolf, and not everything that feels “bad” feeds the dark one.
Comfort can feed the dark wolf if it keeps you from growth.
Discomfort can feed the light wolf if it teaches you strength.
Love can feed the dark wolf if it is selfish.
Loss can feed the light wolf if it teaches you gratitude.
So how do you tell the difference? Ask yourself: Is this making me more loving, more patient, more wise? Or is it feeding my fear, my pride, my resentment?
Because the wolves are clever. They will wear masks. They will deceive you.
Your job is to recognize them before they have eaten too much.
Lesson Eight: The Wolf You Feed Does Not Just Shape You—It Shapes Your Future
Every time you make a choice, you are not just deciding who you are in that moment. You are shaping the person you will become.
The wolves do not just battle in the present. They battle for your future self.
Every decision tilts the scales—making the next choice easier or harder.
So when you are standing in the middle of a moment—when you feel that pull between anger and kindness, between selfishness and generosity—stop and ask yourself:
"Which version of myself do I want to make stronger?"
Because you are not just feeding a wolf. You are feeding your future.
Lesson Nine: The Battle Is Not Won in Big Moments—It Is Won in the Small Ones
We like to think that character is built in grand, defining moments. That one heroic act makes someone “good” or one mistake makes someone “bad.” But that’s not how the wolves work.
They do not grow strong in battles of great consequence. They grow strong in the quiet, ordinary choices we make every day.
The way we speak to the waiter.
The patience we show when someone is late.
The choice to put our phone down and truly listen.
The moment we let go of a grudge instead of feeding it with one more bitter thought.
These moments are small, almost invisible. But they are everything.
Because the truth is—no one becomes a good person all at once. No one becomes cruel all at once either.
The wolf you feed today may seem small. But what about tomorrow? And the next day? And the next?
Soon, without realizing it, you will have built a life that belongs to one wolf or the other.
Final Thought: The Story Has No Ending—And That’s the Point
Most stories have a resolution. A victory. A moment when the struggle ends.
But The Two Wolves does not.
Because the battle never ends.
The wolves wake with you each morning. They walk with you through your day. They whisper to you as you fall asleep. They do not leave.
And that means you are never too far gone.
No matter how long you have fed the dark wolf, the light wolf is still there. Waiting. Hoping. Ready to grow strong again.
Every morning, you get a new chance.
Every morning, you choose.
So I leave you with this—not just as a question, but as a challenge:
Tomorrow, when you wake up, when your feet touch the floor, when you move through the world and face a thousand small choices…
Which wolf will you feed?
The Two Wolves – A Children’s Version
One evening, as the sun dipped behind the trees and the fire crackled softly, a wise old grandfather sat beside his grandson. The little boy loved listening to his grandfather’s stories, and tonight, he could tell this one was important.
The old man took a deep breath and looked into the fire. “Inside every person, there are two wolves,” he said.
The boy’s eyes widened. “Two wolves? Inside of us?”
His grandfather nodded. “Yes. And they are always fighting.”
The little boy frowned. “Fighting for what?”
“For control,” the old man said. “One wolf is dark and angry. He is full of jealousy, selfishness, greed, and fear. He snaps at others and wants things only for himself. He makes people feel small so that he can feel big. This wolf is always hungry for more, but no matter how much he gets, he is never satisfied.”
The boy shivered a little. “I don’t like that wolf.”
The grandfather smiled gently. “Ah, but there is another wolf. This one is light and kind. He is full of love, patience, honesty, and courage. He helps others, even when no one is watching. He listens before he speaks. He is strong, but he doesn’t use his strength to hurt—he uses it to protect. He is happy with what he has, and he spreads joy to those around him.”
The little boy leaned in closer. “Which wolf wins, Grandpa?”
The grandfather poked the fire with a stick and let the question hang in the air. Finally, he turned to his grandson and said, “The one you feed.”
The boy thought about this for a long time. “How do I feed them?”
“You feed the dark wolf when you lie, when you take more than your share, when you are mean to others just to feel strong,” the old man said. “Every time you choose selfishness over kindness, you are giving him food. And the more you feed him, the bigger and stronger he gets.”
The boy bit his lip. “And the light wolf?”
“You feed the light wolf when you are kind, when you tell the truth, when you help someone even when it’s hard. You feed him when you choose love over anger, patience over frustration, forgiveness over revenge.” The grandfather placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “The wolf you feed the most will grow stronger, and the one you ignore will grow weaker. But they will always be there, waiting.”
The little boy looked into the fire, thinking hard. “So… I have to choose, every day?”
His grandfather smiled. “Yes, my boy. Every single day.”
And as the fire crackled on and the stars blinked awake in the night sky, the little boy sat quietly, listening—not just to his grandfather’s voice, but to the wolves inside him.
A Lesson Plan for Children: The Two Wolves – A Story of Choice and Character
Grade Level: Mixed-age (Recommended for ages 6-12)
Lesson Duration: 30-45 minutes
Objective: Children will explore the meaning of The Two Wolves fable, understand how choices shape character, and reflect on how they can “feed” the right wolf in their own lives.
Lesson Overview:
Introduction (5 min): Engaging storytelling of The Two Wolves
Discussion (10 min): Deep dive into the story’s meaning
Activity (15 min): Creative and hands-on engagement
Reflection & Application (10 min): Personal connections and real-life examples
Closing (5 min): A final takeaway and challenge
Materials Needed:
Printed or written copy of The Two Wolves story
Two jars or bowls labeled Light Wolf and Dark Wolf
Small objects (marbles, pebbles, or pieces of paper) for a visual feeding activity
Drawing supplies (paper, crayons, markers)
Step 1: Storytelling (5 min)
Tell the Story:
Gather the children and read The Two Wolves in a slow, engaging manner.
Use a calm, expressive voice to emphasize the emotions of the story.
If possible, dim the lights or sit around a small light source (a candle, lantern, or flashlight) to create an immersive atmosphere.
Ask After the Story:
What did you think of the story?
Did anything stand out to you?
Which wolf do you think you feed the most?
Step 2: Discussion & Deep Dive (10 min)
Understanding the Wolves:
Explain that both wolves exist in all of us, and we make choices every day that feed one or the other.
Share real-life examples:
The Dark Wolf grows when we lie, act selfishly, or let anger control us.
The Light Wolf grows when we help others, tell the truth, and choose kindness even when it’s hard.
Guiding Questions:
Do you think we can ever get rid of the dark wolf completely? (No, but we can make him weaker.)
Have you ever felt like the dark wolf was winning? What happened?
Why do you think the grandfather tells the boy that it’s a choice?
Step 3: Activity – Feeding the Wolves (15 min)
Option 1: Drawing the Wolves
Have each child draw both wolves. What do they imagine the light wolf looks like? What about the dark wolf?
Let them color and decorate their wolves to express their feelings about them.
Option 2: Acting It Out
Have the children act out two short scenes:
A situation where someone feeds the dark wolf (getting angry, being selfish).
A situation where someone feeds the light wolf (helping, forgiving, being patient).
Discuss what the scenes felt like.
Option 3: The Feeding Jar (Visual Activity)
Set up two jars labeled Light Wolf and Dark Wolf.
Give each child small objects (marbles, pebbles, paper).
Ask them to share an example of an action that feeds one of the wolves.
If it’s a light wolf action (kindness, patience, honesty), they drop their object in the Light Wolf jar.
If it’s a dark wolf action (anger, greed, lying), they drop it in the Dark Wolf jar.
At the end, visually compare the jars and talk about how small choices add up.
Step 4: Reflection & Real-Life Application (10 min)
Making It Personal:
Ask: Can you think of a time you fed the dark wolf? What happened?
Ask: What’s one small way you can feed the light wolf today?
Have them close their eyes and imagine themselves in a situation where both wolves whisper to them. What do they choose?
Writing or Drawing Prompt (Optional):
Have children write or draw a situation where they make a choice between the two wolves.
Step 5: Closing & Challenge (5 min)
Final Takeaway:
Remind them that the fight between the wolves never ends, but we are in control of which one grows stronger.
Give them a challenge: For the next day, keep track of which wolf you feed. At bedtime, think about your choices—did you feed the light wolf more today?
Final Thought:
"You are always choosing. Every day, with every action, you are feeding a wolf. Which one will you feed?"