Our Mascot - the Wolf

The Law for the Wolves

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936)

NOW this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky,
And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back;
For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.

Wash daily from nose tip to tail tip; drink deeply, but never too deep;
And remember the night is for hunting and forget not the day is for sleep.The jackal may follow the tiger, but, cub, when thy whiskers are grown,
Remember the wolf is a hunter—go forth and get food of thy own.

 

Keep peace with the lords of the jungle, the tiger, the panther, the bear;
And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the boar in his lair.

 

When pack meets with pack in the jungle, and neither will go from the trail,
Lie down till the leaders have spoken; it may be fair words shall prevail.

 

When ye fight with a wolf of the pack ye must fight him alone and afar,
Lest others take part in the quarrel and the pack is diminished by war.

 

…

Why the wolf?

If you read the Wikipedia entry on Kipling’s poem about wolves, it would have you believe that this is describing the “dog eat dog” and “every man for himself” mentality. Somebody seems to have missed the point – by a mile! Wolves are amazing creatures and their way of living represents the core values of our students and school.

These are some of the amazing characteristics of wolves as they relate to Astrolabe Academy.

1. Wolves are pack animals. The pack maintains a family-like structure and all members take care of and support the other members of the pack.
2. Wolves are respectful creatures. They respect themselves, others and the earth.
3. Wolves are fiercely loyal.
4. Wolves stand up for and protect their pack mates.
5. Wolf pack success is based on the strengths of the individual members. Each wolf, no matter the age or rank, has something that only they can contribute.
6. Wolves have a very strong work ethic.
7. Wolves include time for play and are very active creatures.

Here at the academy, we guide our students on a strength’s based journey. We use the gifts and talents of each individual to help build them up in areas that they might be weak in. We not only use these strengths to to build an awesome team of students for projects and research, we teach the students how to recognize these traits in others so they are able to build strong collaborative teams in the future.

We hope that our students become fiercely loyal to their fellow students and that they learn to build them up, support each other and stand up for others when necessary. We foster a strong work ethic among our charges and a love and sense of stewardship for our precious resources. And, we never forget the need for play in their development.

Enjoy the rest of Kipling’s poem. We look forward to welcoming you to the pack!

The lair of the wolf is his refuge, and where he has made him his home,
Not even the head wolf may enter, not even the council may come.

 

The lair of the wolf is his refuge, but where he has digged it too plain,
The council shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.

 

If ye kill before midnight be silent and wake not the woods with your bay,
Lest ye frighten the deer from the crop and thy brothers go empty away.

 

Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need and ye can;
But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill man.

 

If ye plunder his kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride,
Pack-right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide.

 

The kill of the pack is the meat of the pack. Ye must eat where it lies;
And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or he dies.

 

The kill of the wolf is the meat of the wolf. He may do what he will,
But, till he has given permission, the pack may not eat of that kill.

 

Lair right is the right of the mother. From all of her years she may claim
One haunch of each kill for her litter, and none may deny her the same.

 

Cub right is the right of the yearling. From all of his pack he may claim
Full gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may refuse him the same.

 

Cave right is the right of the father, to hunt by himself for his own;
He is freed from all calls to the pack. He is judged by the council alone.

 

Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw,
In all that the law leaveth open the word of the head wolf is law.

 

Now these are the laws of the jungle, and many and mighty are they;
But the head and the hoof of the law and the haunch and the hump is—Obey!”