Many years ago in the great forest there lived a wolf. He was strong and clever, like most wolves, but also incredibly unlucky. So it happened he got injured, sick and hungry rather a lot. Then one day when he was prowling the wood, very hungry and grumpy, he came upon a plump white rabbit. The rabbit looked at him, but did not run away.

"I think I shall eat you," the wolf said. "Then you will be sorry you didn't run away."

"If you do," replied the rabbit, "it will be the worse for you."

"How do you figure that?" asked the wolf.

"Well," said the rabbit. "You are a weak, starving wolf whom nobody cares about. If you eat me you may live another day, but there is no telling what will happen next."

"Such is life," said the wolf. "And if I don't?"

"If you don't eat me I shall stay by your side forever and always and give you good luck. I will make you strong, and in return you will protect me."

"That sounds rather fishy," said the wolf.

"It's up to you," said the rabbit. "Wolves are strong and clever and all I have is luck, but sometimes it's better to be lucky."

"Sometimes," said the wolf.

What happened next depends on who you heard the story from: the farmers and the townsfolk say that the wolf ate the rabbit and the next day was killed by hunters, but the forest people and the werewolf clans say that the wolf was clever and chose to protect the rabbit. In return the rabbit granted him everlasting good luck, and together they travelled the country and their adventures became famous far and wide.

—old Elgan folk tale