Werewolf Facts

History of Werewolf Origins

1: Origins:
Norse legends spoke of Fenrir, the son of Loki and a  wolf-like being. Fenrir was father of both the wolves and werewolves.  The gods learned of prophecies that forecasted terrible things about  Fenrir, so they tied him up. In retaliation, Fenrir ripped off the hand  of the god Tyr.

2: Historical Texts:
Werewolves appeared in ancient Greek texts.  Herodotus referred to a group known as the Neuri, who lived in Scythia  (which extended from East Europe into Asia). The Neuri were capable of  changing from human to wolf and back again.

3: Greek Mythology:
Greek lore also spoke of the king Lycaon, who  murdered a child and ate human flesh. Zeus punished Lycaon by turning  him into a wolf-man. Elsewhere in Greek lore, a boxer named Damarchus  enjoyed a reputation of secretly being a werewolf.

4: The Roman Way:
The poet Virgil discussed a man named Moeris, who  could transform from human to wolf form through the use of herbs.

5: French Outbreak:
Back in the 1700s, southern France fell under  siege by a werewolf epidemic. Over 100 people were killed by a pack of  creatures known as the Beasts of Gevaudan. The French Army was called in  to fight this threat, although many suspected the blood-lust was carried  out by dog-wolf hybrids.

6: How to Turn into a Werewolf:
If you're looking to wolf out, here  are some ways to do so: (a) Be born as the seventh son of a seventh son;  (b) Eat wolf meat; (c) Enter into a pact with the devil; (d) Be  murdered under a full moon; (e) Avoid practicing Catholic sacraments for  10 years; (g) Be cursed to become a werewolf; (h) Have sex with a  werewolf.

7: An Unbreakable Curse:
If a werewolf bites you and you don't die,  then you're pretty much screwed. Prepare to wolf out. (If you aren't  brave enough to be bitten, you can slurp up water from a werewolf paw  print and achieve the same result.)

8: No Immortality:
Becoming a werewolf will not cause you to live  forever. But you'll age much more slowly and enjoy the benefit of  self-healing without a doctor.

9: Holy Water Doesn't Work:
The methods of warding off a vampire  don't work on werewolves. You cannot exorcise a werewolf because  they're not one of the undead. Religious talk and holy water only make  them angry and wet.

10: Werewolf Disease:
If you suspect yourself of being a werewolf,  then you probably are. Werewolves remember their exploits even after  returning to human form. The werewolf disease is known as "lycanthropy"  and involves rapid hair growth, an insatiable hunger for raw meat, and  fully turning into a wolf. Rapid mood swings, insomnia, and violent  behavior are other indicators.

11: Or it could be hypertrichosis? Historically, people feared this  condition, which caused hair to sprout all over the sufferer's body and  face. These people were often suspected of werewolf-ism.

12: Proof not needed. Just like the Salem witch trials, little proof  was needed in order to kill someone suspected of being a werewolf. One  accusation was enough for a death sentence.

13: Silver or mercury? Modern folklore holds that silver bullets are  strong enough to kill werewolves. The true element used to kill  werewolves throughout history is quicksilver, which is the liquid form  of Mercury, which is the liquid form of quicksilver.

14: Salt Works as a Preventative Measure:
If you suspect a werewolf  invasion, sprinkle some salt around the perimeter of your home. Salt  will suck the water right out of a werewolf's body, so they won't dare  cross your threshold.

15: Other Ways to Kill a Werewolf:
If you wait on old age to escape a  werewolf, you'll be waiting a long time. They aren't quite immortal,  but they live unabated for centuries. You must destroy the heart of the  brain of a werewolf, and decapitation is the one foolproof way to do so.

16: Telepathic Wolves:
Werewolves are telepathic, and they share a  pack mentality. If one wolf feels pain or dies, the others can feel  their pain. At least Twilight got one thing correct, right?

17: Werewolves & Full Moons:
Legend has it that werewolves are  only active during full moons, but this isn't true. Shape-shifting can  occur at any time of the month. Once a werewolf has control over his  capabilities, he can wolf out whenever he damn well pleases.