Werewolf

The Myths and Truths Surrounding Werewolf Legend:


So, what actually is werewolf or lycanthropy? Is it a fact based on concrete evidences? Is it a myth, fabrication of feeble minds? Is it an exaggeration of some other things? Well, all these questions have been puzzling mankind for last 5 centuries.

A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope (from the Greek λυκάνθρωπος: λύκος, lukos, "wolf", and άνθρωπος, anthrōpos, man), is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphicwolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse and/or lycanthropic affliction via a bite or scratch from a werewolf, or some  other means. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon, as popularly noted by the medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury, and perhaps in earlier times among the ancient Greeks through the writings of Petronius.


Werewolves are often attributed superhuman strength, speed, and senses, far beyond those of both wolves and men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves.


A werewolf is a living person who has the power to transform into a wolf. Once transformed, they have all of the wolf's characteristics. They were well known during the 1400s all the way to the 1600s in the Scandinavian countries. At that time people believed that werewolves obtained their powers from the devil. They started as a normal person like everyone else until they began to worship the Devil. The Devil gives the person the power to turn into a wolf and made promises, like keeping a herd of cattle safe in return for the worship. They believed that there were ways to keep werewolves away. Since werewolves worshiped the Devil, they feared God and people used the church for protection from them. These legends and stories are what we believe have arisen from porphyria. There are many different types of porphyria and each person's symptoms vary. Some types of porphyria (CEP, VP) causes excess hair growth on the body and face. These types of porphyria, we believe, might have been the cause to the werewolf legends. Another name for a werewolf was lycanthrope. The term lycanthrope can also be used to describe people who have a mental disorder, believing themselves to be werewolves. This name came from a gruesome Greek king named Lycaon. 



Many European countries and cultures influenced by them have stories of werewolves, including:

• Albania (oik)
• France (loup-garou)
• Greece (lycanthropos)
• Spain (hombre lobo)
• Mexico (hombre lobo and nahual)
• Bulgaria (varkolak)
• Turkey (kurtadam)
• Czech Republic/Slovakia (vlkodlak)
• Serbia/Montenegro/Bosnia (vukodlak, вукодлак)
• Russia (vourdalak, оборотень)
• Ukraine (vovkulak(a), vurdalak(a), vovkun, перевертень)
• Croatia (vukodlak)
• Poland (wilkołak)
• Romania (vârcolac, priculici)
• Macedonia (vrkolak)
• Scotland (werewolf, wulver)
• England (werewolf)
• Ireland (faoladh or conriocht)
• Germany (Werwolf)
• Netherlands (weerwolf)
• Denmark/Sweden/Norway (Varulv)
• Norway/Iceland (kveld-ulf, varúlfur), Galicia (lobisón)
• Portugal/ (lobisomem)
• Lithuania (vilkolakis and vilkatlakis)
• Latvia (vilkatis and vilkacis)
• Andorra/Catalonia (home llop)
• Hungary (Vérfarkas and Farkasember)
• Estonia (libahunt)
• Finland (ihmissusi and vironsusi)
• Italy (lupo mannaro).