okami wolf mask

Unlike the wolf from European myths and fairy tales, which was a negative character: an insidious, vicious and bloodthirsty monster, okami in Japanese "wolf legends" (okuri-okami) acts as a protector of forests and mountains, an assistant to people in need, he warns villagers ahead of time about future natural disasters, keeps the fields from trampling by wild boars and deer, serves as a protector of travelers in mountain forests. In one story, he led a blind flutist out of a thicket.