My husband and I were discussing how the Great American Werewolf novel still has yet to be invented. This really piqued my interest -- in fact, I have personally decided to take up the challenge! ✒️✊️ In the meantime, however, I have been researching the topic, because aside from the portrayals in mainstream media (uhhh, Twilight?! 🥴) --
(Source: https://tenor.com/en-CA/view/wolf-attack-gif-18499602)
(Source: https://tenor.com/en-CA/view/wolf-twilight-werewolves-jump-gif-11902699)
-- I honestly have no idea about the werewolf's true origins.
So, I took it upon myself to take out this book, The Werewolf in Lore and Legend, dating back to the year 1933! 😱 This book has been extremely informative, containing innumerable sources, from biblical times and onward.
What is perhaps the strangest part of this book, is the fact that it is mostly still in original languages; the author did not bother to translate any Latin, French, German, etc. excerpts into English. Thankfully we live in a very technologically advanced age, so of course I was able to translate everything, but it was still a pain in the ass, nonetheless! 😭
Obviously the first thing I needed to do was identify what exactly is a werewolf. To be fair, much of modern media has remained true to the werewolf's depiction:
Once in such a form, the person takes on all of the attributes of a wolf: "their teeth and claws are strong and sharp like those of wolves; they taste raw flesh like wolves; they run on all fours; and when they run together, they are accustomed to divide their hunting among themselves, and if they are drunk, they howl to call the others."
In most cases, the person abandons all sense and reason, choosing instead to give into their bloody, lustful desires. Once back to the status of a human, they oftentimes experience memory loss and cannot recall what they did.
Many accounts note that werewolves are highly influenced by the moon. The beast is reported to be at its strongest from dusk, until dawn. Interestingly, many reports claim that werewolves often have to remain in their bestial form for a number of days, around 10-12 days.
While in human form, there are some important indicators that can hint at a person's bestial nature within. Many human werewolves can be recognized "by these marks: they are pale, their vision feeble, their eyes dry, tongue very dry, and the flow of the saliva stopped; but they are thirsty, and their legs have incurable ulcerations from frequent falls."
Experts also warn against individuals "with deep-set eyes and those whose eyebrows are united over the bridge of the nose."
What's more, a person can always be identified by their "wild, sunken, and black eyes, all wild," for the eyes are the mirrors to the soul, and the victims always retain their bestial nature.
An interesting fact: January and February are the most active months for werewolves, with reason being "that through the extremitie of cold & snow, those rauenous creatures could not fynd of other beasts sufficient to feed vpon.”
There are a number of different methods and theories pertaining to the werewolf's origins. Some believe that werewolfism is hereditary, passed down within families. Others think it can be contracted like a disease. Some think werewolfism is a direct cause of sin and the conscience refusal to repent from it.
In some cases, a person would simply adorn themselves with "a girdle made of the pelt of the animal ... he was given a wide belt, which when girdled, was believed to have turned into a wolf..."
Of course, given how influential the moon is, many believe that anyone born under a New Moon could be susceptible to werewolfism. There is also the theory that "the wolf imparted by his very bite some demonic quality to the beeves he had torn and slain."
However, the most commonly accepted method of metamorphosis is "by black magic, by occult and most hideous bedevilment." By affiliation, werewolves are sorcerers and witches, making "a pact with the Devil ... these pacts 'are not only vain and useless; they are also dangerous and immeasurably pernicious."
The person participates in a sacred ceremony, anointing their body with a special ointment and reciting specific spells. "The spells recited by the sorcerer about to shift his shape to a werewolf are profane and horrible in the last degree. To inquire into these were impious; they were accursed to know."
Some consider nudity a necessity, in the sense that the participant needs to strip off their clothes before turning. In order to revert back to man, he will need to retrieve his clothes first.
During metamorphosis, accounts are divided. There are some who believe that the werewolf retains reason and is in control of themselves.
Others believe the werewolf is a result of possession, and it is the Devil who does their bidding.
A big question may be pondered: why a wolf? Again, this can be traced back to Satan's influence, for Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
Well, given that werewolfism is affiliated with Satan, anything holy will tend to do the trick! 😄 The Crucifix, holy water, the Eucharist... "The sight of the wayside shrines fills him with fear and trembling, and before the Crucifix or the Madonna he falls impotent to the eround, which shows that he is in truth possessed of the demon, and that werewolfism is clearly diabolical."
Running water itself is often considered effective, due to its association with baptism: "... lycanthropes avoid water: 'aquam perhorrescunt.' ... Running water in particular is known to dissolve spells and evil charms; true and natural water is the matter of the 'first sacrament’ [baptism] ... Thus the element has of itself a certain quality of holiness."
(Source: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/how-to-cure-lycanthropy/)
Aside from that, injury while in the form of a werewolf would transform the perpetrator back into man:
Another account reports, "... if he be struck with a knife, especially on the forehead or the scalp, and blood drawn, he will be cured. Some say that if the backs of his front paws or hands are pierced the spell is broken." Meanwhile, a more detailed case states that "... lycanthropia is a species of melancholy which you may cure at the time of the attack, by opening a vein and abstracting blood to fainting, and giving the patient a diet of wholesome food. Let him use baths of sweet water, and then milkwhey for three days, and purging with the hiera from colocynth twice or thrice."
But, what is perhaps the most popular cure is the use of silver bullets. I had to research why this is, and apparently it is because silver is revered for its purity and holiness. One could double their odds of success by dousing silver bullets in holy water!
