What is ysengrimus?

Ysengrimus is a Middle Ages Latin poem which translates to "The tale of Ysengrim the Wolf". It is an epic poem consisting of 6,574 lines and is considered to be one of the most significant examples of mediaeval Latin literature. The poem was written in 1148 by a Flemish monk named Nivardus and it is an allegorical beast epic which recounts the adventures and misfortunes of Ysengrimus the wolf and his arch-enemy, Reynard the Fox. The characters in the poem symbolize human qualities and vices instead of being real animals, with the wolf representing greed, cruelty and selfishness while the fox symbolizes cunning and wit. The story is widely regarded as an important work of fable literature since it is one of the earliest examples of a genre that would become highly popular throughout the Middle Ages.