Wolf (Chirin no Suzu)

"In order for some to live, others must die, that is the law of nature."

- The Wolf.

"To turn out like this is the fate of every wolf. I always knew I would die in some feud, at the hands of someone stronger. But I'm glad that the one who did it was you."

- The Wolf's last words.

The Wolf, also known as Woe or the Wolf King, is the main antagonist of Takashi Yanase's children's book Chirin no Suzu, and its 1978 anime film adaptation Ringing Bell (Chirin no Suzu). He lives in the mountains surrounding the farm and kills and eats his prey based on the belief that he must continue the cycle of nature.

He was voiced by the late Seizô Katô in the Japanese version and the late Bill Capizzi in the English version.

History
He is the wolf who lives in the mountains beyond the sheep farm and terrorizes the sheep. On a windy night, the sheep begin to hear the yelps of the guard dogs outside the barn and the Wolf breaks in and starts attacking the sheep. He kills one sheep until he spots Chirin. He lunges at Chirin, but his mother doves over and protects him. The Wolf kills her and then leaves. Chirin cries over the loss of his mother and sets out of the farm to avenge his mother's death. He eventually finds the Wolf and confronts him, but the Wolf swings him off a cliff with his tail. Chirin tries to get back up, but he falls off. Chirin recovers from his injuries however.

The next morning, he finds the Wolf and offers to become his apprentice, but the Wolf isn't interested in the idea. He walks away and decides to take a nap. Chirin confronts him and the Wolf orders him to go back to his home, so he can have him for dinner. Chirin tries to prove his point to the Wolf, but is easily defeated by his prey. The Wolf walks off and confronts a bear. He easily defeats the bear and the bear runs off. He then finds a herd of deer and makes a kill. The Wolf proves his point to Chirin so he can go back, but Chirin refuses. Chirin follows him, but he eventually falls into a river and seemingly drowns.

The following night, Chirin finds the Wolf and says that he will continue following him no matter what. The Wolf once again leaves Chirin, leaving him to wander aimlessly across the wilderness until he finds a snake confronting a bird. Chirin fends the snake off, but accidentally breaks the eggs. The Wolf finds him and tells him that killing for survival is the law of nature. Chirin is worried that he may not survive and become strong like him, but the Wolf tells him that he can grow fangs and agrees to train him.

Over the course or his training under the Wolf's tutelage, Chirin's features gradually become monstrous that he eventually developed into a beast-like ram. Atop the rocky mountains, Chrin tells his master that, though he once plotted to kill the wolf, he now has a deep respect and admiration for him. Overtaken by a peculiar form of Stockholm Syndrome, Chrin is now completely loyal to the Wolf King.

Chirin's final test is to return to his birthplace, and help the Wolf King slaughter the sheep, in which he killed the dogs that are guarding the barn. By the time he completed the deed and catch up with the Wolf however, he is reminded to his own past upon the sight of the Wolf threatening a lamb which is protected by his mother. The Wolf confronts him, but Chirin impales him with his horns. In his last breath, the Wolf admits that he is proud of Chirin before dying.