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Dr. Mike Lockett is based out of central Illinois and has been telling stories for over 30 years to kids and adults all over the country.
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< Back to Story Listings The Gunny Wolf  Print Story The Gunny Wolf As Retold by Dr. Mike Lockett, The Normal Storyteller Once there was a little girl who lived in a small cabin with her Mother at the edge of a deep dark forest. They had a small garden and a small yard that was surrounded by a white fence. Inside the forest lived a fierce animal called the Gunny Wolf. This creature never came outside of the dark woods. The little girl’s mother always told her, “Whatever you do, don’t go into the forest! Stay out of the forest, and you will be safe.” The little girl always promised that she would never go into the forest. “I won’t go! I won’t no go!” One day, the mother had to into the village. Before she left the house, she warned “Remember your promise and don’t go near the forest. If you do, the GUNNY WOLF might get you. The little girl promised again that she would never go into the forest. “I won’t go! I won’t go!” As soon as her mother had gone, the little girl decided to pick flowers to decorate the house. The first flowers were yellow flowers that grew right beside the fence around the year and the garden. But, as she picked the yellow flowers, she saw some pretty blue flowers blooming right at the edge of the forest, and she forgot about her promise. The little girl went to the edge of the forest where the flowers grew and began to pick the blue flowers. As she picked, she sang a special song. “Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” While she picked the blue flowers, she saw some beautiful white flowers. They would look so lovely in a vase with the yellow and blue flowers. She could surprise her mother with them when she came home. The little girl just had to pick some of them too. They were deeper in the forest, but the little girl could still see her house. So, she wasn’t worried about the Gunny Wolf. She walked deeper into the forest where the flowers grew and began to pick them. As she picked them she sang, “Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” While she picked the white flowers, she saw some beautiful red flowers. She just had to pick some of them too. They were very deep in the forest. She wouldn’t be able to see her house from there, but she would not stay in the deep deep forest for long, only enough to pick the flowers. She didn’t worry about the Gunny Wolf. She walked to where the flowers grew and began to pick them. As she picked them she sang, “Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” Just as the little girl picked the last of the red flowers she needed, “Arrrgh!” Up came the Gunny Wolf from out of nowhere. “Little Girl, You sing that GOOD SWEET SONG AGAIN!” said the Gunny Wolf. So the little girl began to sing, “Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” As she sang, the Gunny Wolf closed his eyes, licked his lips, rested his long nose on his paws and fell asleep. When the little girl saw the Gunny Wolf was asleep, she started to tiptoe away to go home. (Put your hands on your laps and use them to make a running sound ) “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat…” UP rose the GUNNY WOLF, and he came after her, making a noise that sounded like, “HUNKA-CHA, HUNKA CHA, HUNKA-CHA” And he caught her! “Little Girl, Why you move?” “I no move,” said the little girl. “Then sing that GOOD SWEET SONG AGAIN!” said the Gunny Wolf. So the little girl began to sing, “Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” And as she sang, the Gunny Wolf closed his eyes, licked his lips, rested his long nose on his paws and fell asleep again. When the little girl saw the Gunny Wolf was asleep, she started to tiptoe away to go home. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat…” UP rose the GUNNY WOLF, and he came after her, making a noise that sounded like, “HUNKA-CHA, HUNKA CHA, HUNKA-CHA” And he caught her! “Little Girl, Why you move?” “I no move,” said the little girl. “Then sing that GOOD SWEET SONG AGAIN!” said the Gunny Wolf. So the little girl began to sing, “Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” And as she sang, the Gunny Wolf closed his eyes, licked his lips, rested his long nose on his paws and fell asleep again. But this time she sang the song longer to be sure the Gunny Wolf was asleep, “-Kwa-Khi-Wa, Kum-Kwa-Khi-Wa” When the little girl saw the Gunny Wolf was sound asleep, she started to tiptoe away to go home. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a-Pat,” She ran past the red flowers. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat,” She ran past the blue flowers. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat,” She ran past the white flowers. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat,” She ran out of the forest. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat,” She ran through her gate. “Pit-a-Pat, Pit-a Pat,” She ran into her house. She SLAMMED THE DOOR! And she never went into the forest again! (The Gunny Wolf is an American Folktale handed down through the generations in the Appalachians. The actual origin is unknown. It was made popular by American librarian/folklorist Wilhemina Harper in her 1967 re-telling as “The Gunniwolf.”) Click on any story to read: Appalachian Tales • Lazy Jack • Soap - Soap - Soap • The Gunny Wolf • The Journeycake Who Ran Away Ballads/Songs • I'm Gonna Tell - R. Sorrels, adapted by M. Lockett • Little Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly - performance • Little Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly - traditional • The Wedding of Jack and Jill Call and Response Stories • Did You Feed My Cow? • Farm Vacation • The Button Factory • The Man Who Saw a Crocodile • The Turkey Hunt - Call and Response Fables • Androcles and the Lion • The Bat and the Weasel • The Boy Who Cried Wolf • The Cat, the Rooster and the Young Mouse • The Dove and the Ant • The Farmer and the Stork • The Frog in the Milk Pail • The North Wind and the Sun • The Ox and the Frog • The Panther and the Villagers Folk Tales and Folklore • Africa - The Lion's Minister of State • Argentina - Fox's Warm Bargain • Asia - The Tiger in the Well • Balkans - Why Man Lives Eighty Years • Bohemia - Long, Broad and Sharpsight • Caribbean - Anansi and the Python • China - Ow and Ouch • China - The Chinese Nightingale • China - The Magic Pillow • China - The Monkey's Drum • Congo - Monkey and Rabbit Together • England - The Cat and the Mouse • England - The Cat's Tale • England - The Little Gingerbread Boy • England - The Little Red Hen • England - The Pot that Would Not Walk • England - The Three Bears • England - The Three Little Pigs • England - The Three Sillies • Finland - Why Fish Cannot Talk • France - Half a Blanket • Germany - The Frog Prince • Germany - The Porridge Pot • Germany - Why Beans Have a Split Side • Ghana - Anansi the Spider • How Man Became Master of Fire • India - The Blind Men and the Elephant • India - The Hare That Ran Away • India - The Hare that Ran Away Teller's Notes • India - The Lion Makers • India - The Monkey and the Crocodile • Indonesia - Why There Are No Tigers in Borneo • Iran - The Singing Pumpkin • Iraq - The Gift of Stories - The Caliph of Bagdad • Jamaica - Why Dogs Watch People Eat • Japan - The Hare of Inaba • Korea - The Magic Moneybag • Korea - The Pumpkin Seeds • Laos - The King Who Hated Old People • Mexico - How Lizard Beat Big Deer • Norway - How Bear Lost His Tail • Norway - The Boy and the North Wind • Norway - The Gertrude Bird • Philippines - Saving the Moon • Philippines - Why Male Mosquitoes Do Not Bite • Phillipines - The Seven Happy Villagers • Russia - The Mitten • Russia - The Poor Man's Ruble • Russia - Two Goats on the Bridge - • Scotland - Aiken-Drum • Senegal - How Moon & Sun Came to Dwell in the Sky • Siberia - How the Bee Got His Bumble • South Africa - The Man and the Snake • Spain - Little Half-Chick (Medio Pollito) • Surinam - The King of the Birds • Sweden - The Boy and the Water-Sprite • Sweden - The Elves & the Shoemaker • Syria - The King Who Changed His Ways • Taiwan - Flies Who Paid a Debt of Gratitude • Taiwan - The Frog in the Well • The Pig's Brother • Turkey - The Three Hares • United States - The Cricket's Supper • Vietman - How the Tiger Got Its Stripes • Vietnam - Raven and the Star Fruit Tree • West Africa - How Mankind Got Wisdom • West Africa - Why Spiders Hide in Corners • Why Roses Come in Pink Historical Stories • A Leader Lends a Hand • Civil War - The Story of Taps • How Normal Became Normal • Nancy Mason and the Baby Fold • Private Joe Fifer • The Gift of Stories - The Caliph of Bagdad Holiday Stories • A Live Christmas • France- The Wooden Shoe Christmas • Russia - The Legend of Babushka • The Christmas Rose • The Christmas Truce of 1914 • The Legend of the Robin Humor and Short Stories/Jokes • Full of Bologna • Gettin' the Mule's Attention Math Stories (great for math teachers) • Creative Division - Dividing the Geese (Russia) • Problem Solving Story - The New Shoes - (China) Native American Tales • Hopi - Grandmother Spider • Hopi - Why Clouds Are in the Sky • Pueblo - The Musical Waters • The Coyote and the Turtle • Why Clouds Are in the Sky Religious Stories and Bible Stories • David and Goliath • God is Good • Joshua and the Battle of Jericho • Noah and the Great flood • Sword of Gideon • The Call of Samuel • The Story of Esther • The Story of Rhoda • The Story of Ruth • Timothy's Head Start to Salvation Scary Stories (but not too scary) • Jack and the Goblins • Slimy Green Fingers • The Haunted Tailor • The Squeaky Door Stories written in Chinese • God is Good-神真美好 • Mary's Pet - 瑪莉的寵物 • Monkey and Rabbit's Bad Habits 猴子和兔子 – 猴子和兔子的壞習慣 • The Button Factory - 鈕扣工廠 • The Gunny Wolf 大野狼甘尼 • The King of the Birds - 鳥中之王 • The Magic Eyes of Little Crab 小螃蟹的魔力魔眼 • The Seven Happy Villagers 七個快樂的村民 – 菲律賓民間故事 • The Three Little Pigs - 三隻小豬 • Why Male Mosquitos Do Not Bite 為什麼公蚊子不會咬人–菲律賓民間故事 • Why Spiders Hide in Corners - 為什麼蜘蛛要躱在角落 Teacher Materials - Essays on Holiday Topics • Christmas Cards Remembered • Easter Customs • Thoughts on Candy Canes Workshop Handouts • Monkey See - Monkey Do Warm-Up Activity • Quick Sources for Beginning Storytellers • Storytelling research by Kendall Haven • Types of Stories • Why Use Storytelling in Education |