Legend of the Werewolf
© Florence Cardinal
WHAT IS A WEREWOLF?
A werewolf, according to legend, is a creature capable of changing from human form to wolf form and, of course, back again. A werewolf is a shapeshifter. Do werewolves exist? I'll leave the answer to that question up to the individual reader.
LYCANTHROPY
The werewolf legend may have risen because of a rare disorder known as lycanthropy. It can take one of two forms. Usually it refers to a mental disorder in which the sufferer believes he has become a wolf. It comes from the Greek words Lykoi = wolf and anthropos = man. Although these people do not actually take on the form of a wolf, they can be highly dangerous because of their violence and aggression.
However, there is also a genetic mutation that causes the victim to grow hair all over his body. This has happened to one family in Mexico. 32 members of this family are affected, and geneticists are studying the disorder.
Another term - theriomorphic means having an animal form. A theriomorph is, simply put, a shapeshifter.
The werewolf is the best known of the shapeshifters, but these creatures do take other forms, depending on which animal is the most powerful and dangerous in the area where the shapeshifting occurs. Thus, sometimes the beast may be a bear, leopard, tiger or other of the big cats. There are also stories of shapeshifting alligators, elephants, crocodiles, sharks and even birds and reptiles. Much rarer, but still sometimes mentioned, are smaller creatures such as squirrels and rabbits.
Werewolves have been around for some time. Evidence is just coming to light from the study of things like cave drawings that even prehistoric man believed the legend. The first written reference was in 2000 BC in the epic tale of Gilgamesh. The word "werewolf" first appears in England in 1020 AD.
HOW DOES ONE BECOME INFECTED?
Some werewolves are born shapeshifters, and it is believed to be hereditary. However, a spell or a curse can produce the disorder. And if you are ever bitten by a werewolf, There's a very strong chance you will also be infected.
THE CHANGE
According to legend, werewolves only change at the time of the full moon and that is indeed when the urge is the strongest. However, the change can occur at any time. For some reason, the month of February seems to bring out a stronger desire to change. This may, perhaps, have something to do with the mating season of the wolf family.
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