Post by v on Mar 20, 2006 18:53:23 GMT -5
This was a paper I wrote for school on the origin of werewolves. There's some interesting stuff in there.
----
For many ages, it seems the full moon has always brought fear to villagers, and not fear of thieves who stalk in the night. Some simply quiver at the mythological, “werewolf,” creeping and howling in the dark. The legend has become quite well spread throughout the world. Even today, there are old black and white movies of these shape-shifters, some in books, and children even dress up as them for Halloween. In the present, the character is mostly a joke, but in the past, it was seen as a terrifying force to be reckoned with.
During a time of superstition and severe illnesses, the werewolf was well feared in France during the Middle Ages. Anyone even accused of being a meneur des loups, or *Wolf-leader, would be cast out of the village or even put to death. A demonic figure who can call and control wolves at his will, the wolf-leader can also transform into a large wolf, sometimes uncontrollably, but only after midnight, and if any amount of blood is drawn, he will immediately change back into a human.
According to French folklore, he would appear as an average man, living in a small rural village, usually with a job that would explain him being up and about at night. Like natural wolves, there is one wolf-leader for each village or area, and he will not tolerate any other werewolves or wolf-leaders in his territory. (In a sense, he is the “alpha-male.”) Considering the “persecution” and “witch-hunts,” the wolf-leader’s identity would be secret from the public, sometimes accepting the family. The first-born son of the meneur des loups would instantly gain his powers upon his father’s death.
Yet not all of the wolf-leader’s powers come from birth. To become a meneur des loups, one was supposed to obtain a mysterious bottle with demonic powers, which would magically form a potion every morning for him to drink at night when the moon rose. The strange concoction works instantly for anyone who stumbles upon it-purposefully or accidentally; but the drink loses all power if removed from its original bottle and stored anywhere else.
If the potion is taken accidentally, it is indeed a curse, because although the powers will vanish if the drink is not taken for a week, wolves will murder the wolf-leader if he does not take it for a year. Although with one sip before the deadline, meneur des loups can regain all of his sorcery immediately. The magic bottle proves as both the provider of the witchcraft and the possible defeat of it; for if the potion is stolen or lost, and the year passes before the wolf-leader can get a drink of it, he will meet the same end as previously stated.
When in power, from dusk to dawn, the wolf-leader can summon all wolves in his area, and then, legend says, he would lead them to a bonfire where they would chant spells and await orders. Wolves connected to a meneur des loups were supposed to grow a telepathic link to their master, and become more powerful and intelligent. Once a month, supposedly on the full moon, the wolf-leader’s pack can gain special or “demonic” powers, sometimes even the ability to breathe fire. Along with these “talents,” the wolves of a wolf-leader form a firm loyalty with him and would avenge his death if he were murdered.
Seeing as the pack tends to have “demonic” powers, the wolf-leader nor his “servants” can attack a priest or anyone with a “holy” status, yet the pack is not below kidnapping or eating innocent children.
No matter which form, wolf-leaders were found powerful and frightening in legend. Any traveler or villager who crosses his path could be commanded to “feed the wolves,” a task that carries more than what its name implies. The unfortunate one must run to their home without tripping, if he stumbles, he becomes the wolves’ dinner. If he makes it to his home, he must feed the pack until it’s satisfied, and then give them a present to take back to their master; a basket of French bread, a sum of money, or maybe something specific. The victim would be killed within a year by a wolf pack if he failed to give a gift.
A rather scary legend, and even today in certain parts of France, farmers don’t go outside after sunset for fear of the meneur des loups.
Practically on the other side of the world, Greece was also shivering under the full moon long before the “lycanthrope” legend came to Europe. Greek mythology holds some of the earliest werewolf stories, which have many different versions, all rippling around the character King Lycaon (Lycaeon). In one telling, King Lycaon rules justly and is a caring man, but his wife is angry and bitter over their arranged marriage. The queen and her love-interest conspire against the king. The boyfriend (for lack of a better word) makes a tricky deal with Hades, which ends in a magic potion being given, a potion which would turn King Lycaon into a wolf, but would only be permanent if Lycaon was unable to get back into his royal robes while in his new form. At a large banquet the drink is given, and just as promised, the king transforms into a wolf. The guests, provoked to panic and violence by the queen and her love-interest, chase Lycaon out of the kingdom, and he barely escapes with his life.
For many years the former King wanders the land, able to think like a man and speak, but unable to find a companion willing to help him until Hermes, disguised as a young warrior, comes across his path. Zeus, the great king of the gods, had been watching Lycaon from Mount Olympus and felt pity for him, so he sent Hermes, the messenger, to aide him. So, as is often in Greek mythology, the gods step in to both cause the problem and solve it.
Hermes protects Lycaon in his vulnerable state, and together they return to the kingdom. Upon tricking the Queen and new King, Lycaon manages to dive into his old clothing and is thus returned to his normal state. The two conspirators were executed and order was restored.
Yet in the other tale, (The Metamorphoses by Ovid) **King Lycaeon is arrogant and paranoid. When rumors fly that the gods are visiting his kingdom, Lycaeon throws them an honorary banquet, but decides to test the visitors’ identities by hiding human flesh amongst the various dishes. Enraged, the gods transform Lycaeon into a wolf, telling him it was a more suitable form for his cannibalism.
***Some myths say Lycaon was transformed because he tried to serve the flesh of his son, Nyctimus, as a sacrifice to Zeus on the altar at Mount Lycaeus. This legend gave life to the Greek superstition that a man is turned into a wolf at every annual sacrifice to Zeus at Lycaeus, but if the victim does not eat human flesh for ten years, he would be restored to his normal form. This also gives insight to the origin of the “full moon” transformation beliefs that spread throughout the west, as well as the basis for the old werewolf term, “Lycanthropy,” which comes from the Greek word lykoi (wolf) and anthropos (man).
**Native American culture is deeply linked with all animals, and wolves have also been given an evil and mystical reputation. Limikkin, or skin-walkers, are purely evil sorcerers and shape-shifters, which have made pacts with the “Bad Spirit.” Their whole intent is to kill one’s “Spirit animal” or “animal guide.” Dream catchers are hung above the bed not only to keep away nightmares, but also to keep Limikkin from entering their dreams and hurting their “Spirit animal.” Skin-Walkers transform into wolves and break into houses at night, kidnapping children to eat them, and terrifying all they can.
**From China to Iceland, from Haiti to Spain, there are myths and fears of these werewolves, skin-walkers, and meneur des loups. In Argentina, the werewolf is a more fox-like creature known as lobizon or lobison. China, Lang Ren; Canada, wendigo or witiko; Bulgaria, vrkolak; Haiti, loup garou; Iceland, varulfur; Russia, wawkalak; Spain, lob hombre; Italy, lupo mannero; and Norway and Sweden, eigi einhamiri. These are only some of the countries with their own werewolf tale, each with its own variations.
The legend is so widespread, and was so feared in Europe during the Dark Ages, that werewolf hunts were similar to the Salem Witch Trials, in absurdity and torture. Many wonder how such panic and irrational acts could come to pass. What could possibly cause this mass hysteria? No one can answer with surety for people who lived hundreds of years ago, but reasonable arguments have been made.
****Ergot is a fungus which grows “in place” of rye grains in wet crop seasons after very cold winters. It causes a form of “food borne illness,” or poisoning that can affect whole towns if not just the poorer areas, bringing mass hysteria, paranoia, hallucinations, convulsions, and even death. The “LSD” drug is derived from the ergot fungus. The poisoning can also bring psychotic episodes when one might believe themselves to be a significant religious figure or even a “werewolf” seeing as in that state the victim would be highly susceptible to ideas, opinions, and proposals.
Though of course, this does not explain everything, for ergot can only grow in certain areas, but hypertrichosis, or porphyria, is a disease causing excessive hair growth all over the body, sometimes giving the “beast-like” appearance. This explains the “attributes” of a werewolf in hiding, which, according to certain myths, include: red hair, “mono-brow,” hair on the palms of hands, or even hair on the inside of the skin (which seems a very big stretch, even for superstition).
Many scientists have produced logical theories for such fear, but one will probably never know the truth unless one can come across H.G. Wells’ time machine and can go back to the 1500’s and 1800’s to ask a busy villager. So though the present is an “enlightened” generation, some still shiver and double-bolt their doors when it comes to be the full moon, because one solitary howl sticks in their ears, the same howl which inspired age-less, and countless, stories of fantasy and fear.
*1. “Wolfmaster: A Fiend from French Folklore” by Andrea Sfiligoi
Copyright 1997 by Steve Jackson Games
w.w.w.sjgames.com
**2. “Lycanthropy,” “How to Spot a Werewolf,” “Were-creatures Around the World.”
Copyright MythicalRealm.com 2000-2005, All Rights Reserved.
w.w.w.mythicalrealm.com/legends/werewolf.html
*** 3.“Greece’s King Lycaon”
Copyright, 2004 UsefulTrivia.com
w.w.w.usefultrivia.com
****4. “Theories on the Origin of the Legend of the Werewolf.”
w.w.w.computing.dcu.ie/computety/2005/cohall-cty/werewolforigintheories.html
----
For many ages, it seems the full moon has always brought fear to villagers, and not fear of thieves who stalk in the night. Some simply quiver at the mythological, “werewolf,” creeping and howling in the dark. The legend has become quite well spread throughout the world. Even today, there are old black and white movies of these shape-shifters, some in books, and children even dress up as them for Halloween. In the present, the character is mostly a joke, but in the past, it was seen as a terrifying force to be reckoned with.
During a time of superstition and severe illnesses, the werewolf was well feared in France during the Middle Ages. Anyone even accused of being a meneur des loups, or *Wolf-leader, would be cast out of the village or even put to death. A demonic figure who can call and control wolves at his will, the wolf-leader can also transform into a large wolf, sometimes uncontrollably, but only after midnight, and if any amount of blood is drawn, he will immediately change back into a human.
According to French folklore, he would appear as an average man, living in a small rural village, usually with a job that would explain him being up and about at night. Like natural wolves, there is one wolf-leader for each village or area, and he will not tolerate any other werewolves or wolf-leaders in his territory. (In a sense, he is the “alpha-male.”) Considering the “persecution” and “witch-hunts,” the wolf-leader’s identity would be secret from the public, sometimes accepting the family. The first-born son of the meneur des loups would instantly gain his powers upon his father’s death.
Yet not all of the wolf-leader’s powers come from birth. To become a meneur des loups, one was supposed to obtain a mysterious bottle with demonic powers, which would magically form a potion every morning for him to drink at night when the moon rose. The strange concoction works instantly for anyone who stumbles upon it-purposefully or accidentally; but the drink loses all power if removed from its original bottle and stored anywhere else.
If the potion is taken accidentally, it is indeed a curse, because although the powers will vanish if the drink is not taken for a week, wolves will murder the wolf-leader if he does not take it for a year. Although with one sip before the deadline, meneur des loups can regain all of his sorcery immediately. The magic bottle proves as both the provider of the witchcraft and the possible defeat of it; for if the potion is stolen or lost, and the year passes before the wolf-leader can get a drink of it, he will meet the same end as previously stated.
When in power, from dusk to dawn, the wolf-leader can summon all wolves in his area, and then, legend says, he would lead them to a bonfire where they would chant spells and await orders. Wolves connected to a meneur des loups were supposed to grow a telepathic link to their master, and become more powerful and intelligent. Once a month, supposedly on the full moon, the wolf-leader’s pack can gain special or “demonic” powers, sometimes even the ability to breathe fire. Along with these “talents,” the wolves of a wolf-leader form a firm loyalty with him and would avenge his death if he were murdered.
Seeing as the pack tends to have “demonic” powers, the wolf-leader nor his “servants” can attack a priest or anyone with a “holy” status, yet the pack is not below kidnapping or eating innocent children.
No matter which form, wolf-leaders were found powerful and frightening in legend. Any traveler or villager who crosses his path could be commanded to “feed the wolves,” a task that carries more than what its name implies. The unfortunate one must run to their home without tripping, if he stumbles, he becomes the wolves’ dinner. If he makes it to his home, he must feed the pack until it’s satisfied, and then give them a present to take back to their master; a basket of French bread, a sum of money, or maybe something specific. The victim would be killed within a year by a wolf pack if he failed to give a gift.
A rather scary legend, and even today in certain parts of France, farmers don’t go outside after sunset for fear of the meneur des loups.
Practically on the other side of the world, Greece was also shivering under the full moon long before the “lycanthrope” legend came to Europe. Greek mythology holds some of the earliest werewolf stories, which have many different versions, all rippling around the character King Lycaon (Lycaeon). In one telling, King Lycaon rules justly and is a caring man, but his wife is angry and bitter over their arranged marriage. The queen and her love-interest conspire against the king. The boyfriend (for lack of a better word) makes a tricky deal with Hades, which ends in a magic potion being given, a potion which would turn King Lycaon into a wolf, but would only be permanent if Lycaon was unable to get back into his royal robes while in his new form. At a large banquet the drink is given, and just as promised, the king transforms into a wolf. The guests, provoked to panic and violence by the queen and her love-interest, chase Lycaon out of the kingdom, and he barely escapes with his life.
For many years the former King wanders the land, able to think like a man and speak, but unable to find a companion willing to help him until Hermes, disguised as a young warrior, comes across his path. Zeus, the great king of the gods, had been watching Lycaon from Mount Olympus and felt pity for him, so he sent Hermes, the messenger, to aide him. So, as is often in Greek mythology, the gods step in to both cause the problem and solve it.
Hermes protects Lycaon in his vulnerable state, and together they return to the kingdom. Upon tricking the Queen and new King, Lycaon manages to dive into his old clothing and is thus returned to his normal state. The two conspirators were executed and order was restored.
Yet in the other tale, (The Metamorphoses by Ovid) **King Lycaeon is arrogant and paranoid. When rumors fly that the gods are visiting his kingdom, Lycaeon throws them an honorary banquet, but decides to test the visitors’ identities by hiding human flesh amongst the various dishes. Enraged, the gods transform Lycaeon into a wolf, telling him it was a more suitable form for his cannibalism.
***Some myths say Lycaon was transformed because he tried to serve the flesh of his son, Nyctimus, as a sacrifice to Zeus on the altar at Mount Lycaeus. This legend gave life to the Greek superstition that a man is turned into a wolf at every annual sacrifice to Zeus at Lycaeus, but if the victim does not eat human flesh for ten years, he would be restored to his normal form. This also gives insight to the origin of the “full moon” transformation beliefs that spread throughout the west, as well as the basis for the old werewolf term, “Lycanthropy,” which comes from the Greek word lykoi (wolf) and anthropos (man).
**Native American culture is deeply linked with all animals, and wolves have also been given an evil and mystical reputation. Limikkin, or skin-walkers, are purely evil sorcerers and shape-shifters, which have made pacts with the “Bad Spirit.” Their whole intent is to kill one’s “Spirit animal” or “animal guide.” Dream catchers are hung above the bed not only to keep away nightmares, but also to keep Limikkin from entering their dreams and hurting their “Spirit animal.” Skin-Walkers transform into wolves and break into houses at night, kidnapping children to eat them, and terrifying all they can.
**From China to Iceland, from Haiti to Spain, there are myths and fears of these werewolves, skin-walkers, and meneur des loups. In Argentina, the werewolf is a more fox-like creature known as lobizon or lobison. China, Lang Ren; Canada, wendigo or witiko; Bulgaria, vrkolak; Haiti, loup garou; Iceland, varulfur; Russia, wawkalak; Spain, lob hombre; Italy, lupo mannero; and Norway and Sweden, eigi einhamiri. These are only some of the countries with their own werewolf tale, each with its own variations.
The legend is so widespread, and was so feared in Europe during the Dark Ages, that werewolf hunts were similar to the Salem Witch Trials, in absurdity and torture. Many wonder how such panic and irrational acts could come to pass. What could possibly cause this mass hysteria? No one can answer with surety for people who lived hundreds of years ago, but reasonable arguments have been made.
****Ergot is a fungus which grows “in place” of rye grains in wet crop seasons after very cold winters. It causes a form of “food borne illness,” or poisoning that can affect whole towns if not just the poorer areas, bringing mass hysteria, paranoia, hallucinations, convulsions, and even death. The “LSD” drug is derived from the ergot fungus. The poisoning can also bring psychotic episodes when one might believe themselves to be a significant religious figure or even a “werewolf” seeing as in that state the victim would be highly susceptible to ideas, opinions, and proposals.
Though of course, this does not explain everything, for ergot can only grow in certain areas, but hypertrichosis, or porphyria, is a disease causing excessive hair growth all over the body, sometimes giving the “beast-like” appearance. This explains the “attributes” of a werewolf in hiding, which, according to certain myths, include: red hair, “mono-brow,” hair on the palms of hands, or even hair on the inside of the skin (which seems a very big stretch, even for superstition).
Many scientists have produced logical theories for such fear, but one will probably never know the truth unless one can come across H.G. Wells’ time machine and can go back to the 1500’s and 1800’s to ask a busy villager. So though the present is an “enlightened” generation, some still shiver and double-bolt their doors when it comes to be the full moon, because one solitary howl sticks in their ears, the same howl which inspired age-less, and countless, stories of fantasy and fear.
*1. “Wolfmaster: A Fiend from French Folklore” by Andrea Sfiligoi
Copyright 1997 by Steve Jackson Games
w.w.w.sjgames.com
**2. “Lycanthropy,” “How to Spot a Werewolf,” “Were-creatures Around the World.”
Copyright MythicalRealm.com 2000-2005, All Rights Reserved.
w.w.w.mythicalrealm.com/legends/werewolf.html
*** 3.“Greece’s King Lycaon”
Copyright, 2004 UsefulTrivia.com
w.w.w.usefultrivia.com
****4. “Theories on the Origin of the Legend of the Werewolf.”
w.w.w.computing.dcu.ie/computety/2005/cohall-cty/werewolforigintheories.html