Vuhi in the tree and Dinas falling toward the fleeing wolves, Jay Van Everen, 1922
Van Everen illustrates the goat and ram’s bluff: Vuhi shakes a sack of wooden chips and pushes Dinas onto the wolves. The startled pack flees. The animals’ claim to have eaten wolves is a deception, not evidence that the sack contains bones.
Overview
Vuhi and Dinas enter the forest after their impoverished owner releases them because he cannot feed them. Vuhi carries a sack half-filled with dry chips, whose hollow rattling becomes the basis of their defence. When Pekka threatens them, the goat claims that it contains the skulls and bones of wolves they have eaten. Dinas lowers his horns on command. Pekka believes the claim and obtains release by promising twelve wolves instead of himself.
The twelve refuse Pekka’s warning and advance together. Vuhi and Dinas climb a tree, although the ram cannot get very high. The goat orders an attack, shakes the sack and pushes Dinas, who falls onto the wolves. Noise, surprise and the supposed wolf-eaters’ reputation cause the pack to flee. The companions thereafter remain in the forest undisturbed. They have not actually eaten wolves, and the sack holds wood rather than bones. Their speaking, planning and unusual tree-climbing belong to this comic narrative, without an added magical transformation.
Origins & earliest records
Parker Fillmore, Mighty Mikko (1922), Mikko the Fox, Adventures VIII, pp. 273–277; author’s note vii–xi.
Records & interpretation
Located historical English literary retelling. Fillmore identifies these as his own versions, not translations; the cycle supplies the named characters and narrated actions.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Mighty Mikko: Mikko the Fox, Adventures VIII, pp. 273–277
Animal-cycle witness. Fillmore credits Lydia Tulonen as his Finnish guide and refers generally to Salmelainen’s collections; no individual Finnish manuscript or oral contributor is specified.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary historical literary retelling of folkloreFillmore 1922: Mikko the Fox nursery epicResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationVuhi in the tree and Dinas falling toward the fleeing wolves, Jay Van Everen, 1922
Van Everen illustrates the goat and ram’s bluff: Vuhi shakes a sack of wooden chips and pushes Dinas onto the wolves. The startled pack flees. The animals’ claim to have eaten wolves is a deception, not evidence that the sack contains bones.
