Rosemary Pardoe’s article ‘The wolf that wasn’t’ in NE181 sparked some interesting correspondence, published in NE182. Below is the full text from Vita sancti Edmundi (Life of St Edmund) by Abbo of Fleury, translated into Old English by Ælfric around the year 1000. It describes the miraculous story of St Edmund’s head being guarded by a wolf after the saint’s martyrdom.
Wæs eac micel wundor, þæt an wulf wearð asend þurh Godes wissunge to bewerigenne þæt heafod wið þa oþre deor ofer dæg and niht. Hi eodon þa secende and symle clypigende swa swa hit gewunelice is þam ðe on wuda gað oft, “Hwær eart þu nu, gefera?” and him andwyrde þæt heafod, “Her, her, her!” and swa gelome clypode andswarigende him eallum swa oft swa heora ænig clypode oþþæt hi ealle becomen þurh ða clypunga him to. Þa læg se græga wulf þe bewiste þæt heafod. And mid his twam fotum hæfde þæt heafod beclypped grædig and hungrig and for Gode ne dorste þæs heafdes abyrian, and heold hit wið deor. Þa wurdon hi ofwundrode þæs wulfes hyrdrædenne and þæt halige heafod ham feredon mid him, þancigende þam ælmihtigan ealra his wundra, ac se wulf folgode forð mid þam heafde oþþæt hí to tune comon swylce he tam wære and gewende eft siþþan to wuda ongean. Þa landleoda þa siþþan ledon þæt heafod to þam halgan bodige and bebyrigdon hine swa swa hí selost mihton on swylcere hrædinge and cyrcan arærdan sona him onuppon.
There was also a great wonder: that a wolf was sent, by God’s command, to guard the head from the other beasts by day and by night. Then they went searching and continually calling, as is the custom of those who often go in the woods, “Where are you now, companion?” And the head answered them, “Here, here, here!” And it kept calling out and replying to them all as often as any of them called, until they all came to it through the calling.
Then the grey wolf was lying there, keeping watch over the head. And with his two feet he had the head clasped – greedy and hungry – yet for God’s sake he did not dare to eat the head, and he kept it safe from wild beasts. Then they marvelled greatly at the wolf’s obedience, and they carried the holy head home with them, giving thanks to Almighty God for all His wonders.
But the wolf followed along with the head until they came to the town, as if he were tame, and afterwards he turned back again to the woods. Then the people of the land afterwards took the head to the holy body and buried it as best they could in such haste, and they soon built a church over him.
(With thanks to Stewart Lee.)