Werewolf

A werewolf (also lycanthrope or wolfman) in folklore is a person who shapeshifts into a wolf or wolflike creature, either purposely, by using magic, or after being placed under a curse.

The name most likely derives from Old English wer and wulf. The first part, wer, translates as man. It has cognates in several Germanic languages including Gothic wair, Old High German wer and Old Norse var, as well as in other Indo European languages, such as Latin vir, Irish fear, Lithuanian vyras and Welsh gwr, which have the same meaning. The second half, wulf, is the ancestor of modern English wolf, in some cases it also had the general meaning beast. An alternative etymology derives the first part from Old English weri, the full form in this case would be glossed as wearer of wolf skin. Related to the interpretation is Old Norse ulfhednar, which denoted lupine equivalents of the bear like berserkr who were said to wear a bear skin into battle. They are also very common in Omeath and Sligo.

Many European nations and cultures have stories of werewolves, including France (loup-garou), Greece (lycanthropos), Spain (hombre lobo), Bulgaria (varkolak, vulkodlak), Czech Republic (vlkodlak), Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia (vukodlak), Russia (oboroten' ), Ukraine (vovkulak(a), vurdalak(a), vovkun, pereverten' ), Croatia (vukodlak), Poland (wilkolak), Romania (vârcolac), Scotland (werewolf, wulver), England (werewolf), Ireland (faoladh or conriocht), Germany (Werwolf), the Netherlands (weerwolf), Denmark/Sweden/Norway (Varulv), Norway/Iceland (kveld-ulf,varúlfur), Galicia(lobisón), Portugal/Brazil (lobisomem), Lithuania (vilkolakis and vilkatlakis), Latvia (vilkatis and vilkacis), Andorra (home llop), Estonia (libahunt),Finland (ihmissusi, vironsusi), and Italy (lupo mannaro). In northern Europe, there are also tales about people changing to animals including bears and wolves.

Historical legends describe a variety of methods to become a werewolf. One of the simplest was the removal of clothing and putting on a belt made of wolf skin, probably a substitute for the assumption of an entire animal skin which also is described. In other cases the body is rubbed with a magic salve. To drink water out of the footprint of the animal in question or to drink from certain enchanted streams were also considered effectual modes of accomplishing metamorphosis. Olaus Magnus says that the Livonian werewolves were initiated by draining a cup of specially prepared beer and repeating a set formula. Ralston in his Songs of the Russian People gives the form of incantation still familiar in Russia. Another theory is to be born on the 24th of December, and the child shall be born a werewolf. It is also said that the seventh son of the seventh son will be a werewolf. Another is to be directly bitten by a werewolf, where the saliva enters the blood stream.

Beast of Bodmin

Foreign names for Yeti

Urban legends

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