Legend of the Vampire

How did the vampire myth originate anyway? In the mid eighteen hundreds, a writer named Bram Stoker wrote a book that dealt with the myth of vampirism. It was entitled Dracula.

He patterned his Dracula after a real person - Vlad III Dracula (call Tepes, pronounced tse-pesh,) a fifteenth century prince of Wallachia. The Transylvanian Alps separate it in the NW from Transylvania, and Transylvania became known as the birthplace of the vampires.

Vlad was not a nice man, which is putting it mildly. He would impale his enemies on stakes and allow them to bleed to death, which is how all the blood and gore became associated with vampires.

These creatures are often described as very handsome or very beautiful, and a lot of erotic abilities are ascribed to vampires. They are sometimes depicted wearing a flowing black cape that makes them look like a bat. There is indeed a creature known as the vampire bat. Each of these bats requires about two tablespoons of blood every day. They suck this blood from domestic animals such as cows, pigs, and horses. Vampires are said to only awaken at night and cannot stand the sunlight. They shrivel up and die in terrible pain as the first rays of the sun hit them. However, they cannot really die, as vampires are actually already dead and are known as the undead or living dead. When someone is bitten by a vampire, he or she dies but returns as a vampire.

Vampires usually sleep in cold dark cellars using as a bed a coffin filled with graveyard dirt. They awaken to feed on the unsuspecting when it's fully dark. There are many other facets of the vampire myth. For instance, garlic will repel them, as will a crucifix and of course, they cannot enter a church. Nor can they enter your home unless you invite them in, which you might do before you realize the person is a vampire. It's said they cannot cross running water.

Watch out for these creatures. They are dangerous! You can recognize them by their overly pale complexions. And, if you meet someone with big fangs, that's a sure sign you are dealing with a vampire. Don't invite him or her in, hang garlic above your door, wear a crucifix, and, if possible, build your house on the far side of the river.

In Search of Dracula

Interview With the Vampire

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