Footprints are important in the supernatural world.
Footprints prints are believed to have some essence of who ever created the print. In Africa, people make sure their footprints are destroyed so witches cannot use the dirt from the print for evil magic against them.
More so for people who want to be a werewolf.
Drinking water collected in the footprints of wolf’s -extra power for footprints left in Clay- gave people the power to shape shift into a werewolf.
In the early 20th-century in Hebrides Islands off of Scotland a case of an angry werewolf goast searching for his bones was noted.
The incident happened to Andrew Warren. His grandfather was interested in natural history and geology. Often spending time in the countryside looking for interesting specimen. Grandfather decided to poke around in a drying avatar in a lake or mountain pool he found some old bones packed them up and took them home to Andrew. At home Andrew and his grandfather inspected them the bone seem to be human but the skull was wolflike.
A few evenings later the adults left Andrew to go to church. The skeleton was still lying on the table. Andrew heard a noise at the back door, but couldn’t find anyone. A loud noise knocking on the window scared him when he looked the thing he saw was blurred at first. The setting sun was behind the person knocking. As his eyes adjusted he saw a wolf head atop the human neck. The thing’s lips curled into a snarl showing sharp white teeth. It also had pointed ears and green eyes. His hand was humanlike with long curled nails.
Scared Andrew ran out of the kitchen locking the door behind him. He stayed in the hallway until his family came home. The werewolf was gone. The next day Andrew and his grandfather return the bones to the tarn. The werewolf was never seen again.
Werewolves of the past were created 1 of 2 ways.
Bites weren’t a part of this either.
A person could choose to become a werewolf and search for a witch to perform the required spells.
Or a witch could curse someone to become a werewolf.
There are spells, chants, potions and special rituals that can change (or force) someone to become a werewolf. Various spells or incantations along with recipes for or ointments can be found in very old witchcraft books.
The 1500s were a great time to find rampant werewolf stories.
This one takes place in 1598 France. The Gandillon family -a sister, her brother and his two children- ravaged an area called Jura in wolf form.
Penette Gandillon believe she was a wolf she would run around on all fours. One day she came upon a small boy and girl -brother and sister- gathering strawberries. Penette was consumed by blood rage and attacked the girl. The boy, a four-year-old, pulled a knife on Penette and defend his sister. Penette slashed at the boy cutting his neck and killing him. Later the girl identified that as her brothers killer.
Outraged peasants attacked Penette and tore her pieces.
Not long after, Pernette’s brother Pierre was accused of witchcraft. Rumors circulated appears kidnapping children and taking them to the witches sabbath. He would make fierce hailstorms and turned himself into a wolf with long shaggy gray hair. The devil gave him a special ointment. He wants changed into a hare once too. He accepted the rumors as truth. He confessed to killing and eating animals and humans and to return to human all he had to do was rolling grass.
Georges –Pierre’s son- confessed to using the ointment too. While his body lie in a trance state in bed, lasting three hours once he out he attended a witches sabbat. While in wolf form he killed and eaten two goats.
Both father and son had scars on their faces arms hands and legs that they’d received while in wolf form and fighting with dogs.
Antotinette confessed to selling her soul to the devil who appeared to her in the form of a black cat. She created hail while attending sabbats.
Pierre Georges behaved like raging maniacs, running around their cells on all fours and howling. It was believed they didn’t shape-shift into wolf’s because they didn’t have their magical ointment. Father and both his children were convicted hung and burned.
In Russia becoming a werewolf is easy. All that’s needed to shape-shift into an Oborot “one transformed” is a magic incantation and to find a cut down tree in the forest.
The tree stump would be stabbed with the copper knife and circled as the person said the spell. Once the spell was said the person had to jump over the stabbed stump three times. He then ran further into the forest and wolf form.
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Lobizon
In Argentina and parts of Brazil Paraguay and Uruguay the lore of a werewolf or weredog that walks on it’s hind legs is prominent. The Lobizon is described as being short in stature like an enormous monkey. Has sharp claws long hanging ears small childlike legs and a tail covered in long dark hair. It has an evil chilling stare.
The Lobizon attacks dogs and bothers humans it breaks into houses. A report from Argentina states that Lobizon entered a house where it was beaten by the residence until it appeared to be dead. When they dragged it outside it jumped up injured and ran away.
It’s believed the seventh son is destined to be an Lobizon and shape-shift at midnight on a full moon especially if it’s a Friday. He transforms to human again at Don. Argentina’s ex-president Juan Domingo Peron decided all seventh sons must be baptized in order to stop Lobizons from being created.
Image from Google search
Ruvaush
The Ruvaush is Romany term for wolf-man. Ruv equals wolf and manush equals man.
Romani lore tells of a werewolf creatures created by a vampire which who can suck the blood of men during the waxing moon. The man becomes a werewolf. Even when in human form he can only eat raw flesh and blood.
In the 19th-century Hungarian gypsy named Kropan lived with his wife in Torres. He suspected his wife of having an affair because she’d wait every night for him to fall asleep and leave. She also had choice cuts of meat even though his salary could not afford meet.
One night he decided to spy on her. She came back the following morning in wolf form and shape-shifted into human form. He was horrified but kept silent. Soon they had enough meat for him to travel to the next village and sell it.
He made enough money to open and inn, where he and his wife sold cheap plates of food.
The villagers became suspicious. They took him and his wife to the priest for next versus him when the wife was sprinkled with holy water she shrieked in pain and disappeared. The mob killed Kropan. The two responsible for the murder were convicted and sentenced by a six-year prison term. They were released in 1881.
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Have you ever wondered what happens to people who piss off the devil?
No! I have, and it seems I’m not alone. *looks into cyber world. . . rolls eyes.*
Okay I’ll tell you.
Russian lore tells what happens to a man cursed by the devil. He’s doomed to live his life as a wolf, among his family.
His family recognizes him and they care for him, and feed him. He’s not like our current thoughts on werewolves, suffering from blood rage. The Wawkalak is gentle, he even licks the family that cares for him. But, the Wawkalak, can’t accept a good thing. He constantly needs change and wanders from village to village.
The Romi or previously called Romanian Gypsies believed shooting a bullet into the ground and penetrating the coffin in question would kill a vampire.
Bram Stocker used this myth in his novel Dracula but he added to it by making the bullet silver and calling it a “sacred bullet”.
You also know a sliver bullet is the only thing that can kill a werewolf
French lore believes in the Louleerou.
A man usually bastard -no I mean fatherless- transforms into into the beast every full moon.
As lore has it the transformation always takes place at midnight. The lycanthropy throws himself out the window and plunges into a well. He comes out with a goat skin given to him by the devil.
by Cristiane Vleugels
He runs around on all fours and attacking and eating any dog he finds. When he returns to human form by taking off his goatskin at dawn he returns home.
He often gets sick and vomits undigested paws and other parts of the dogs. If shot or killed while in louleerou state he instantly returns to his human form. Being a louleerou brings shame to the family.
**My source is dated 1863 -being a bastard in that time was also shameful.
Image found on Pinterest
Mari Wells 