In some parts of Northern, Eastern and Central Europe, the grain spirit, spirit-of-the-crop, field spirit, harvest spirit or corn spirit has a canid/lupine form.
Names include Kornewolf, Kornwolf, cornwolf, rye-dog, rye-wolf, rye-hound and wolf-in-the-corn. (Note: For any American readers who may be confused, corn here does NOT mean Maize. In many parts of Europe any grain-crop may be called corn, be it wheat, oats, barely or so forth.)
Children were earned not to wander or "The Corn-wolf will get you." "The Big Dog is in the corn,and will carry you off." "The Wolf sits waiting and he will tear you to pieces!".
When the wind made the crop sway it was said "The wolf is in the field" or "He is in the corn!" or "The wolf is jumping over/through the corn."
The last stand of corn to be cut was caled 'The wolf', and was often woven into a Corn Dolly, eaither a geometric or anthropomorphic design, this served as the inspiration for the Corn-wolf's spiral horn. The fertility magic of the Rye-Wolf is all in his tail, he either drags it on the ground, or flicks it amongst the stalks like waving a flag.


The inspiration for the Corn-Wolf's shape came from my extensive collection of zoology books, and the various species of dogs, foxes and wolves. It's long legs were inspired by the pampas-dwelling Maned Wolf. For a creature living in a grain-field long legs seemed appropriate.