Franz Marc (German, 1880-1916) The Wolves (Balkan War), 1913 Oil on canvas, 27 7/8 x 55" Charles Clifton, James G. Forsyth, and Charles W. Goodyear Funds, 1951

We have all heard stories with animals as the main characters. How about the Three Little Pigs? Or Ananzi the Spider? In these two tales and many others, the animals act like humans in order to teach us lessons about life. Can you think of any other animal stories that teach us important lessons? There are also expressions we use that compare people to animals, such as "he's as stubborn as a mule," "sly as a fox," or "strong as an ox." Has an adult ever told you to "stop horsing around?" Animals are also used as symbols. Some of the best examples are found in sports: the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions or Tigers, Vancouver Grizzlies, or Toronto Raptors just to name a few. What would you think of a football team called the Buffalo Bunnies? Or a basketball squad named the Tennessee Turtles? Can you think of any other good and not-so-good examples of names for sports teams?

Franz Marc, who was from Germany, did the same kind of thing in this painting of wolves. It was meant to be a warning about the horrors of war. Why do you think he chose wolves? Three of them run in from the right as if charging for an attack. The one on the left turns around—perhaps to defend itself against them or to escape from the red fire. There are two other wolves in the painting—what's happening with them? The purple clouds in the background might represent bombs exploding, and there are green flames in front of the running wolves. Can you find the one thing that reminds you of beauty and peace? What's happening to it?