Werewolf Facts

The Wulver

Wulver is a Scottish folklore werewolf-like creature.  Categorized as a werewolf, though, he had never been a human being nor  had undergone any transformation. Unlike the other werewolves, he had  permanently a body of a human being with a wolf's head on it. He was not  aggressive and, unless otherwise teased, never attacked first. He was  fond of fishing and spent hours sitting at Wulver's Stane, a deep-water  rock named after him. According to Jessie Saxby 'The Wulver was a  creature like a man with wolf's head'¦He didn't molest folk if folk  didn't molest him.'

Werewolves have long been associated with horrible power, blood-thirstiness, a lack of control, and unbridled rage...but are all werewolves like this? Perhaps the bulk of them are and in movies, film, and books more often than not the werewolf is depicted either as a terrifying monster or a terrifying, yet tragic, figure. The Scottish werewolf, the Wulver, challenges some of our worst assumptions about the werewolf in folklore.

Wulvers are said to hail from Scotland and specifically the Shetland Islands. Unlike typical descriptions of werewolves, wulvers seem only to have the head of a wolf while maintaining a human body. Although the wulvers have human bodies those bodies are covered in thick brown hair. Furthermore, it may perhaps be wrong to include wulvers in the 'werewolf' category in the first place. Why? Well, it is believed that wulvers were never human in the first place and do not go through a change or transformation.

Wulvers appear to live together and seem to have a desire to help human beings. One of the ways they show their support and love towards humans is through leaving gifts of freshly caught fish on the windowsills of the poorest families or those who need help the most. This practice is so widespread and it was so common to see the strange profile of the wulver fishing for others that there is a huge rock in the Shetland Islands named 'Wulver's Stane.' Wulvers prefer to be left alone so it is wise to avoid approaching them, despite their kind demeanor.

Wulvers seemed to enjoy being near water and often lived in isolated caves that were not easy to discover or traverse. In a way, it seems like the wulver is also a symbol of hope for the poor in the area who were helped by these strange, kind creatures.

Interestingly enough, many Scots believed the wulver to be an evolutionary bridge between humans and wolves. I find this quite interesting because it seems to link wolves and humans in an interesting and intimate way. So often, wolves are seen as adversaries to humans (and vice versa) which is why I think 'evil' werewolf lore is so prominent. However, I think this "evolution" from wolf to human and the wulver being this kind soul in between shows that wolves, however ferocious they might be, have several qualities that humans find admirable - their power, their connection with nature, and their pack instincts. I feel as though the wolf's connection to the pack and human's connection to other humans is given a kind of 'perfection' through the wulver that strives to help those most in need.

There may an interesting answer to why the wulver was so highly documented. There is a disease called hypertrichosis, also known as werewolf syndrome, where a human is covered in short, brown hair. Perhaps this person, or even a family who was genetically predetermined to get this disease, lived in isolation due to their affliction and, being human, still craved human interaction and kindness and so fished for himself and gave his leftovers to the surrounding community.

Shetlands Wulvers:

Shetland, also known as the Shetland Islands lie some 104 miles (168 km) northeast of Scotland. They form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. Humans have lived in Shetland since the Mesolithic period and there are over 5,000 archaeological sites all told. One such at West Voe on the south coast of Mainland, which is the largest island, has been dated to 4320–4030 BC. During a period of Viking expansion, Shetland was eventually colonized by the Norse during the late 8th and 9th centuries. Norwegian king Harald Hårfagre annexed the Northern Isles (comprising Orkney and Shetland) in 875. Shetland remained under Norwegian influences until Shetland become part of Scotland in the 15th century.

Shetland is rich in mythology, folklore and legend. One of a number of otherworldly creatures that are said to inhabit the lands and surrounding seas of Shetland is the Wulver. The Wulver has some similarities to a werewolf in that it is part human and part wolf in appearance. However, unlike most werewolves the Wulver is not a shapeshifter. It has never been a human being and does not turn into a wolf-like creature at times of a full moon. The Wulver has a body like a man, covered in short brown hair, with a wolf's head. This is his permanent state of being. There is also another marked difference between the traditional view of a werewolf and that of a Wulver. Whereas a werewolf is a creature to be feared with malign intent. The Wulver is completely opposite and is noted for having a kind heart.

As long as people leave him to live his life in peace he will not pose any risk to a human. He is happy to live alone in a cave on Shetland and enjoy the peaceful life. When seen he is fishing from a rock known as 'The Wulver's Stane'. If he does intervene in the lives of people it is to perform a generous and kindly act. The Wulver is known to have helped lost travelers, by guiding them to nearby towns and villages. He is reported to have left fish on the windowsills of poor families. If the Wulver learnt that a family was facing hardship and was without food, his benevolent nature would come to the fore and he would provide them with a supply of fish. It is also said that if a family was faced with sickness and death, the Wulver could be seen paying his respects outside their home.

So when visiting Shetland remove the idea of the malign and dangerous werewolf so often seen in horror films. Because the half-wolf and half-man creature that you might meet there is filled with kindness and generosity. If lost he might help you find your way and if hungry he might share his food. Respect shown to the benevolent Wulver of Shetland is always returned in equal measure.