Werewolves.The myths and the truths.

just my 0.02c............

wouldnt wild wolves carry rabies? at least some of them......

so in the middle ages if you got bitten by a wild wolf that actualy carried rabies or a rabies like disease then started displaying the symptoms yourself, that could account for the myth of the bite of a werewolf changing you into a werewolf yourself?

Originally posted by mulberryblueshimmer
so in the middle ages if you got bitten by a wild wolf that actualy carried rabies or a rabies like disease then started displaying the symptoms yourself, that could account for the myth of the bite of a werewolf changing you into a werewolf yourself?

An excellent point, as have been many others that were made here.

I can vouch for tandino's comments about the full moon's effect on psychiatric patients as well. My grandparents worked in a State Hospital here in Pennsylvania and have had many tales of how the full moon would really seem to bring out more disturbing, sometimes violent behavior. And yes, as Gear and tandino have pointed out, the full moon seems to have an effect of some kind on many people (myself included).

Shapeshifters and lycanthropes may simply be the product of mass hallucinations, as Gazrok has stated, but KiwiGael does provide interesting information to keep in mind about other cultures and their belief in shapeshifters. If this were purely a European phenomenon, then we could perhaps write some of it off as mold-induced hallucination, but other myths do exist, which does put some doubt into any casual dismissal.

Skeletal remains of a supernatural shapeshifter could have been found at anytime. Who would know? Is there some established physiological difference in bone structure and skeletal layout for lycanthropes? Once again, this provides more uncertainty.

Looking at the bigger picture, it is difficult to be certain in matters of the supernatural, but the evidence points to more or less ordinary people and/or animal misidentification (ie. the hyena Esoterica mentioned).

I believe that there are some physical and/or psychic gifts that could duplicate some of the abilities of werewolves, but I've yet to see anyone who could become a wolf. Perhaps this is merely an exaggeration however, just as many folk tales and legends are exaggerations of actual events. Once word spreads of one event, other similar stories inevitably crop up, just as some skeptics claim about UFO abductees and witnesses.

Every legend has its basis in fact. We just need to find which events led to these tales in their beginning. Given the era we're looking at though, this could be nearly impossible.

Originally posted by ID
There is no mammal on this planet capable of transforming from a man into a wolfman.

By definition of the word, all things are possible. It is probability of occurance that we need to consider. Until you have seen EVERYTHING this world has to offer, please refrain from making statements of impossibility. (And let's save the "no one's seen it, so it doesn't exsist" arguements for the theology posts.)

"We should never doubt what we aren't sure about." - Willy Wonka

[Edited on 17-4-2004 by Mr No One]

Originally posted by mulberryblueshimmer
just my 0.02c............

wouldnt wild wolves carry rabies? at least some of them......

so in the middle ages if you got bitten by a wild wolf that actualy carried rabies or a rabies like disease then started displaying the symptoms yourself, that could account for the myth of the bite of a werewolf changing you into a werewolf yourself?

An intelligent and thought provoking point you make.

Couldn't some of the tales spring from encounters with berserkers and the like as well?

My wife is commanche,and caddo indian.Her great grandfather has told me stories about warrior becoming one with the spirit of animals and changing into them before they went on raid or went to war.

Originally posted by RB29
My wife is commanche,and caddo indian.Her great grandfather has told me stories about warrior becoming one with the spirit of animals and changing into them before they went on raid or went to war.

That's common in some of the American Indian cultures, and a common practice of shamans of all tribes/cultures is the ability to "skinwalk" and talk to animals.

There are "shifters" in today's society, but they tend to agree that it's a psychic shift rather than a physical shift (most of them think that the ones who claim they can physically shift are, frankly, nuts.)

I've talked with some of them and will be trying to explore their societies and beliefs more (this, from an anthropological standpoint.) It's fascinating, really... but at this point I don't have more than a bit of information about them and the beginnings of an introduction into some of their groups.

i think my aunt fetiema is werewolf , she always staring at the moon, even during the day and she has some freakishly hairy arms and a mustache, i think we all have aunt like that

I'm glad someone brought up the point of berserkers. Don't ask me how, but I do believe a person could transform shape. The berserkers transformed mentally into killing machines, becoming these crazed beings feeling no pain. I wonder if some legend came from them as many cultures wore the hides of animals.
In my opinion werwolves change at will, but the urge to 'turn' is stronger during the full moon, the way the tides & other animals are affected by the full moon. Another very important belief I have is that they are NOT blood thristy monsters roaming the countryside. Wolves hunt and kill only what they need to survive. They would also be very into the whole family/pack thing. I believe this is true for WW. The look of a WW I think would be the way they were in either 'Dog Soldiers' (really great movie) or 'Van Helsing' (drool...Hugh...).
'Van Helsing' had a great WW in appearances, but the whole 'turning' during a full moon bit I didn't like.
'Dog Soldiers' got it right. If you wanna see a good WW movie, see that one.

I think the quote "There are more things in heaven and earth Dear Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosphy" says it best. To look around this great big planet, and feel, see, and hear about all the unexplainable things that happen, and not sometimes think that "mythical" creatures might exist, is just not human. I've learned through my years of study of History, mythology, and normal human life, that at the core of every "legend" or "myth" is some bit of truth. That is not to say that all myths and legends are true. But to think, 500 years ago, the "Myth" that the world might be round, was exactly that, a myth, which we know today to be true. So dont rule out anything until it's proven.



I have some nifty stories and findings for any who care, you can get a hold of me at my email address of [email protected] or AIM Screen Name of Nightwing822000

Berserkers were real, and they went into their killing frenzy with the aide of hallucinagenic drugs (mushrooms) that also had some pain killing properties; which explains the idea that they fought fiercly without feeling pain. But they were also quite toxic, and many berserkers died from the drugs, not the battles. The Church (catholic perhaps?) actually feared berserkers, and ordered the execution of all people who may be a berserker. So for all you druggies out there, eating shrooms; you better watch your back! The church is coming for you!

sources of werewolf belief

1. Shamanistic attitudes toward totem-spirits possessing individuals

2. The effect on the full moon on releasing people from their normal inhibitions. Ask any cop or e.r. nurse, and they can tell you when the next full moon is. The first way these workers use their seniority is to schedule out of these shifts!

3. Ancient/Medieval explanation of serial killing behavior. Many of you seem to be familiar with Colin Wilson's seminal work "The Occult," in which he argued that pre-industrial man explained away his loss of self control in terms of lycanthropy and the 'lust for blood.' As Wilson pointed out, the reports of lycanthropy from the early modern period (pre-WWI) use the same terms, motivations, and rationalizations now used when describing serial killers.

4. Etiology of rabies. Wolves are nocturnal, and healthy wolves travel in packs and avoid humans. To see a wolf in the daylight, especially a 'lone wolf,' was almost certainly to be witnessing the effects of rabies on the creature.

5. The folk memory of the "Winter of the Wolves" in Paris, when packs, lost in a blizzard, descended on Medieval Paris and actually broke into homes. Both humans and wolves were starving to death, and this traumatic episode had a profound impact on the European psyche. Certainly, some peasants, to avoid starvation, must have killed and eaten wolves---wolves they had seen eating people: thus, the survivors may have felt like indirect cannibals by association.


The whole 'silver bullet' myth is a form of ritual magic. Silver is the metal of the moon, and werewolves are under the moon's spell.

Tell you the truth I think this all started during the middle ages when the bobonic plage struck millions I think in the #ry mistakes people oh had the bobonic plage victoms for warewolf or just wolves.

[edit on 16-10-2004 by hughes28105]

I'm a staffing coordinator for nurses and they all tell me that when it's a full moon the hostpitals are packed. Abnormal amount of activity. This is consistent. I found this rather interesting...

In my humble opinion, werewolves are real. To me they are people that made a deal with Satan and were either tricked into becomming one or it was part of the bargin. But anyways, they became beasts and the people that saw them thought they most resembled wolves mixed with people and that is how the werewolf myths started. Then of course people would make stuff up to kill them and everything.

Silver and crosses are a production of holywood. However, the cross would have some basis in fact, inasmuch as the Power of God (tm) was supposed to protect you from all sorts of nasty beasties.

Not so...silver was introduced as a means of killing them in the middle ages, and included in many "vampire/werewolf slaying kits" peddled during the era... The reason for this seems to stem from the pagan use of silver in magical rituals that were thought to ward off evil. The idea was simply expanded to then suggest that a weapon made of, or plated with silver, would be more effective. Such weapons were also blessed (or said to be blessed) by a priest.

if ther are WWs and im not sayin ther are i wuld figur that it is not a half man half wolf

nah just people tripping on lcd hehe i forget where i read it but supposedly it made people act like cats and animal controller officers were called to the highway and it turned out to be a person. But yeah mind body and soul all go into werewolfs. People believe they have the soul of the cat or can feel a phantom shift of some sort.

I think werewolves are real but I am not sure whare they are or if you could be and how to become one or if you can become a werewolf. I think they do not eat human only when human attack them. but In my first post I talk about the bubonic plag. but I for some reson I think there are some other reson a play her.

[edit on 5-11-2004 by hughes28105]

I donnt think that werewolves as we portray them exist, The following are my theories on what they are or might be.

1. A person whom has a genetic disorder (dont know what its called) that makes there body completely covered in thick dark hair.
2. As stated in an earlier post, an evolutionarie offshoot.
3. A small group of neanderthal whom survived up until the 1300-1600s.

Interestingly enough, there are ancient greek writings that tell of wolf like creature that stood on there hind legs, there also say that these creatures participated in the ancient olympics, and that they were very athletic.