Roy Exum: Twenty-One, The Wolf

  • Wednesday, July 8, 2015
  • Roy Exum
Roy Exum
Roy Exum

Carl Safina, who is a modern-day genius when it comes to animals and nature, entered my world earlier this week when I read a story he had written about a wolf. Twenty-one, as the wolf was known by his tag number in Yellowstone National Park, was surely the greatest wolf that ever lived. He was legendary in that he never lost a fight when other wolves would challenge his territory but – far better – after he dealt out a thorough whipping he would never kill his vanquished rival. And therein lies the tale.

“If ever there was a perfect wolf, it was Twenty-One,” park ranger Rick McIntyre told Carl as they studied a pack of wolves devouring an elk with telescopes one afternoon, this from about a mile away.

“He was like a fictional character …. Twice I saw Twenty-One take on six attacking wolves from a rival pack – and rout them all. I’d think, a wolf can’t do what I am watching this wolf do … watching him felt like Bruce Lee fighting.”

As the two men talked, it became immediately obvious the park ranger’s waters run deep. He’d carefully studied Twenty-One, he’d watched him for years. Why, then, when rival wolves challenge Twenty-One’s pack and his territory, is this animal content to dole out an insufferable beating yet never go for the kill at the end as so many other animals do? “Why doesn’t Batman kill The Joker?” Ranger Rick asked Safina, the corner of his eyes rich and warm.

The story may be the best lesson in how to handle power I’ve read in years. There are some people who have money, others might claim prestige. The unscrupulous use their toe-hold to climb over others and the dumb learn the hard way that “power corrupts,” most especially in politics. But the man who welds his power with skill and grace and always an edge, soon becomes king.

Carl Safina asks we think of the most powerful men in the world. Safina wisely points to Hitler, Stalin and Mao, all who stumbled over the fact they were ruthless strongmen but, in the end, who each found their ability to cash a check that their evil minds had written would no longer clear life’s bank. Instead, look at Gandi, King and Manella – peaceful warriors on a higher plane and all far greater men.

Safina writes, “Muhammad Ali, who has been called the most famous man in the world, was a practitioner of ritualized combat who spoke of peace and refused to go to war. His refusal cost him millions of dollars and his heavyweight title, yet with his refusal to kill, his status rose to unprecedented height.”

So the author, as wise as any fox, asks Ranger Rick, “OK, why doesn’t Batman kill the Joker?” or paraphrased, why doesn’t the wild animal in Twenty-One lower the boom of doom on any wolf that would dare encroach his parameters? Snuff out your rivals and they cease to be, right?

“In admiring the hero who restrains himself, we are impressed with the hero’s power,” said the Ranger after constantly observing the particular traits of Twenty-One. And, to illustrate his point most succinctly, the wise McIntyre pointed to the movie “Casablanca,” where Humphrey Bogart took an ordinary movie in the 1940s to a spot in the Top Ten of all time.

You’ll remember that a character named Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) was running an upscale bar in Casablanca when he falls hard for a dame, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) but she splits, jilting the staggered Rick after she finds out her husband, resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), is alive instead of dead.  Enter fate, and soon Rick gets lucky and comes up with two “letters of transit.”

Such papers during World War II could spirit two refugees to freedom. They are more valued than gold and Rick suddenly has the power he needs to play the winning hand.

The next thing you know the ravishing Ilsa walks into Rick’s club and utters the immortal words, “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’” which sizzles the pipes of everybody watching and be indelibly imprints the classic tune in their hearts for life. And that’s when Rick famously muttered, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”

Ilsa finally tells Rick she loves him and, as subtle as a whisper, Rick shows his real power. To cut to the chase, he arranged Ilsa and Victor to use the letters to fly to safe Lisbon.

Victor – sensing Ilsa’s soul –  half-heartedly asks Rick to instead escort his Ilsa to safety but my man is too cool for a refrigerator. At the last moment he makes Ilsa board the plane, standing in the fog to telling her the last words she will ever hear from her beloved. Her face is a study, her heart is torn, and only Humphrey Bogart could ever deliver the line that Rick says, for he knows if she doesn’t follow Victor she’ll regret it. “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon … and for the rest of your life.”

Talk about the ultimate degree of power … ask any movie audience that has sobbed during the last 75 years. Don’t you see how he doubled his power?  He wins the love he has yearned for so long, yet he arranges things where the other man is neither hurt nor loses his wife. As Ranger Rick quietly tells the writer Safina, “We admire him for his strength combined with his restraint. In admiring the hero who restrains himself, we are impressed with the hero’s power.”

In short, Safina offers this: “If a human releases a vanquished opponent, the loser’s status suffers anyway and the victor seems more impressive. You’ve already won and you show tremendous added confidence. If you show mercy, you gain even more status.”

It turns out that towards the end Twenty-One’s biggest problem was a handsome wolf named Casanova. He was dashing, handsome, suave. All the women wolves dug the strawberries in his ice cream but the wolf Casanova fought like a girl. There came a day when Twenty-One found him sneaking into his pack, trying to seduce Twenty-One’s daughters, and the game was on. With Twenty-one absolutely demolishing Casanova, the rest of the Twenty-one’s loyal pack dove in to kill the dastardly interloper.

But – what! -- suddenly Twenty-One jumped back, as did the other highly-confused pack. As his confederates carefully eyed one another, Twenty–one just glared at Casanova as he quickly slunk to the darkened tree line. That’s power personified and every wolf knew it. In time Twenty-One would die a natural death in Yellowstone and Casanova owned up,becoming a leader according to Ranger Rick. But he never could match the legendary Twenty-one. After all, Cassonova was a lousy fighter and one day a neighboring wolf came along and did indeed kill him.

But then there is just this: The wolf that killed Casanova seemed oblivious the the fact he was allowing Twenty-One’s children and grandchildren to escape, unharmed. Safina had his explanation: “Anything that’s helped descendants survive will remain in the genetic heirloom, a driver in the behavioral toolkit.

“So, say you’re a wolf; should you let a beaten rival go free?” Safina asks as he shares his life lesson. “I think the answer in both wolves and in our own tribal human minds is: Yes — if you can afford to. Sometimes, your rival today becomes, tomorrow, a vehicle for your legacy. Perhaps that is the basis for magnanimity in wolves, and at the deep heart of mercy in men.”

Oh my  goodness … my precious goodness. And you are wondering why Batman never killed the Joker?

* * *

Carl Safina’s new book, “BEYOND WORDS: What Animals Think And Feel,” will be released next week on July 14. It includes a far-better version of the wonderful story of Twenty-One, and other dazzling animals that Safina has come to understand. The hardback version is $18.15 on Amazon Prime and, yes, and, yes, I have already preordered a copy.

Royexum@aol.com

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