Werewolf

The Werewolf

A werewolf in folklore and mythology is a person who shape shifts into a wolf, either purposely, by using magic or by being placed under a curse. Werewolves were known in almost all European countries and cultures. Werewolves are only second in line to vampires in popularity.

The word werewolf is most likely to derive from two old-Saxon words, wer (meaning man) and wolf. In Greek, the terms Lycanthropy refers to the transformation process while Lycanthrope, which is a synonym to werewolf, is the afflicted person. The popular definition of werewolf or lycanthrope is a man who transforms himself or being transformed into a wolf under the influence of full moon.

In Greek mythology the story "Lycaon" is one of the earliest examples of werewolf legends. Many of the werewolves in the European traditions were about innocent and God-fearing persons, who suffered through the witchcraft of others. In the book, Werewolves a collection of original stories by Jane Yule and Martin Greenberg. Werewolves are gentle and kind unlike the blood thirsty evil werewolves that most have come to hear about.

In Europe during the middle ages, 15th to the 17th century the people lived with superstitions and ignorance. The people all lived near the woods and feared the

DeBats 2

wolves like a nightmare. There were many wolf attacks during this time and people didn't want to travel from town to town. They claimed to find half-eaten human limbs scattered in their fields. According to the "Origin of the Werewolf." The first recorded Werewolf sighting took place around the countryside of German towns Colongne and Bedburg in 1591. An age-old pamphlet describes those moments. "Few people cornered a large wolf and set their dogs upon it. They started to pierce it with sharp sticks and spears. Surprisingly the ferocious wolf did not run away or tried to protect itself, rather it stood up and turned out to be a middle-aged man he was Peter Stubbe from the same village. Stubbe was put on a torture wheel where he confessed sixteen murders including two pregnant women and thirteen children". The history behind his downfall was rather bizarre. He had started to practice sorcery when he was only 12 and was so obsessed with it that even tried to make a pact with the Devil. Wearing a magic girdle he started to attack his enemies, real or imaginary. After several months, he would take the appearance of a wolf and continued with his evil acts with more brutality. In the wolf form he used to tear up victims' throats and suck warm blood from veins. Gradually his thirst for blood grew and he roamed around fields in search of prey.

In history there are lots of ways a person could become a werewolf. The most common was a wolf strap, a gift from the devil. Whoever put on the strap would turn into a wolf, and could only change back to its human form if someone called out his name. But anyone who accepted the wolf strap made a pack with the devil and could not get rid of it. Other ways of becoming a werewolf were to rub magic salve on a person's body, to

DeBats 3

drink water out of the footprint of the animal thought to be a werewolf, or be directly bitten by a werewolf, where the saliva entered the blood stream. An ill fated man could become victim of witchcraft or fall under curse of evil spirits. The person then would involuntary turn into were werewolf. Many stories have a ritual were the afflicted man would locate an isolate place and trace a big circle on the soil then rub on the oil, place on the wolf hide and concentrate on a prayer to the devil.

There are different types of werewolves, voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary werewolves were thought to have made a pact, usually with the Devil and morph into

Werewolves at night to indulge in mischievous acts. Involuntary werewolves, on the other hand, were werewolves by an accident of birth or health. In many cultures someone who was born during a new moon or suffered from epilepsy was considered to werewolves.

Werewolves had their weakness most commonly being a hate for wolfs bane "Wolfs bane is a plant that supposedly sprouted from weeds watered by the drool of Cerberus while he was brought out of Hades by Heracles". (Yoeln pg.49) Werewolves also stayed away from religious artifacts like holy water and crucifixes. Another weakness was to silver. It was said that if they wore a silver amulet, they would not transform back in to a werewolf Stabbing a werewolf with a silver dagger would change them back to human form.

The modern versions agree that a werewolf can be killed if shot by a silver bullet or complete destruction of heart or brain. Another newer idea that came to fiction writers was to add the full moon and its association to the transfer of a werewolf. Modern

DeBats 4

researchers believe that there are many theories of the origins of a were wolf. Some as simple as a person having hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth over the entire body) may have been blown up to be our original were wolf. Of all the theories the werewolf had many common characteristics. In human form they had bushy eyebrows that met over the bridge of the nose. Their blood-red fingernails were long and Almond shaped mouth. eyes were always dry and thirsty. Long and narrow ears were laid back on heads. Their skin was rough, scratched and hairy with yellowish, pinkish