Summary

The short story “The Werewolf” by Angela Carter begins with a description of a northern country. The author describes the cold environment, as well as the harsh living conditions. Although they believe in God, the people living there also believe in the Devil, whom they claim they have seen in graveyards. Besides believing the Devil is real, the people also believe in vampires, whom they try to keep away with the help of garlic. They also believe that particular children have the gift of predicting the future and that witches can be identified by their third nipple. When a so-called witch is discovered, she is killed with stones by the community.

The story’s focus shifts towards a child, a girl, who is sent by her mother to deliver food to her sick grandmother. The little girl has to pass through a dark forest and is given her father’s hunting knife for protection. She soon hears the howl of a wolf with red eyes and, when the creature attacks her, the little girl cuts off its right forepaw. After the wolf runs away, leaving a trail of blood, the little girl tak...