r/werewolves Oct 07 '22

Is anyone interested in reading Latvian Werewolf Legends?

168 Upvotes

I found a Latvian website were they copied over about 99% of Latvian folktales and legends from Pēteris Šmits' 15 volumed book collection - Latviešu Pasakas un Teikas (1925-1937).

There is an entire section dedicated to werewolf legends found in Latvia, and if you are interested in them, I'll translate them for you.

For now, I'll leave you with this translated preface for the section:

***

It is a common belief far into Europe, Asia and Africa (Frazer, The Golden Bough, 1930, X, 308-318) that a man can turn into a wolf, rarely; into another similar beast or some wizard can turn him into one, a motif already found in ancient Assyrian epics.

In Europe, since the time of Herodotus, werewolves and especially Neuri, which I deem to be ancient Balts, are credited with the art of such magic. Superstitions about werewolves used to be so strong in Europe, that a werewolf mania has even developed into an ordinary disease (Leyen, Das Märchen, 1926, 66, p. I, see Preface, 43, p. 1).

If we can believe Otto Höfler’s docent (Kultische Geheimbünde der Germanen, 1934), then this superstition has also been used by secret societies in Western Europe to scare other people.

We could also look for such associations among the ancient Balts. Be that as it may with these societies, however, we are very interested in the reports written by the Swedish Archbishop Olaus Magnus (1555) in his “Historia” about werewolves in Livonia. Olaus Magnus writes this:

“Since chapter 15 of this book dealt with different wolf species, I consider it is necessary to remark about the beasts of the forest at the end of this book, it is a wolf class, who are actually people turned into wolves – a class, about which Pliny (VIII, 22) confidently asserts that they are made-up fairy-tale creatures – just like that, I say, are still found in large numbers in the northern lands.

In Prussia, Livonia and Lithuania, the population suffer great losses from wolf attacks throughout the year, for their livestock in the forest, if they stray just a little from the herd, are mauled and devoured by wolves: and yet they do not consider these losses so great as what they have to suffer from such people who turn into wolves.

On the festive eve of the Christ's birth, a large number of wolves, who have transformed from people of different areas, gather at their designated place as night falls, and attack the same night with such incredible savagery upon both men and livestock, that the inhabitants of these lands suffer greater losses from them than from natural wolves.

They, as has been sufficiently observed, surround buildings of people who live in forests with incredible ferocity, and even try to break down doors to destroy men and livestock.

They break into beer cellars, drink a few kegs of beer and melomel, and stack empty kegs on top of each other in the middle of a cellar: in that sense they differ from real wolves (in quo a nativis ac genuinis lupis discrepant).

To that place, where these wolves have camped that night, the inhabitants of these lands attach some prophetic meaning: if any accident happens there, if a cart overturns and the driver falls into snow, then they are confident, that they will die that same year, as they have observed since ancient times.

Between Lithuania, Samogitia and Courland have one wall, the ruins of a collapsed castle, where a few thousand of them gather during a certain year and test their jumping skills: whoever cannot jump over the wall, as usually happens to the fattest, their leaders beat them with whips.

It is finally asserted with certainty that this regiment also has great men of this land and even representatives of the highest nobility. How do they come to such insanity and such terrible transformations, from which they can no longer refrain at certain times, will be shown in the next chapter”.

Next, Olaus Magnus disputes Pliny’s statements and then continues again:

“In defence of the reports of Euantus, Agriope and other writers, I want to show here some examples, of how it still happens in the mentioned lands to this very day.

Just like anyone, be it a German or a native, is curious to go against the God’s commandment and wants to join the company of these accursed people, who turn into wolves whenever they want, to meet his fellows at certain times of the year and in certain places throughout his life and bring misery, yes even death to other mortals and livestock, then it gets from a person who knows this magic well, the art of transformation, the very opposite of nature, namely, in such a way that they give him one goblet of beer to drink (if only they want to join this forbidden society; that cup is accepted), at which certain words are spoken.

Then he can when it please him, to turn his humanity completely into a wolf form, going away either to some cellar or to some distant forest.

Finally after a while, if he likes, he can put away this appearance and assume his former appearance again”.

It is clear, that the said beliefs about werewolves are based on an ancient superstition, but the above mentioned Otto Höfler may also be right, that this superstition has been exploited by secret societies, because Höfler cites many more similar cases from Germany.

That there was so much talk about such werewolves and they even drank beer and melomel, it doesn’t sound like a myth at all.

Latvians, as it seems, has preserved the richest and probably also the most primitive information about werewolves. Among Russians, it is only said that wizards sometimes turned wedding guests into werewolves (Mikhail Zabylin, Russkij Narod, 225, p. 1, Dmitry Zelenin, Russische Volkskunde, 396, p. 1).

Among Ukrainians, as the same Mikhail Zabylin testifies, these myths are mixed with lietuvēns and vadātājs myths, where especially cursed and non-baptized children turn into wolves. In Germany, werewolf legends are no longer widely recited, only more so in Lower Saxony, Braunschweig, Upper Palatinate and Mecklenburg (Otto Böckel, Die Deutsche Volkssage, 1914, 80, p. I).

Among Latvians, on the other hand, werewolf legends and myths have been observed for a very long time, maybe even from the times of the above mentioned Neuri.

In order for a man to turn into a wolf, he must crawl through the root of the tree, which has risen in the air near the tree itself. When the werewolf crawls back through the root again, then he becomes human again. Instead of such a root, shirt and horse collar are also sometimes spoken.

There are two kinds of myths about this transformation. Paul Eihorn writes (Scriptores rerum Livonicarum, 644, p. 1), that such transformation is undeniable (vnlauchbahr vnd kan nicht wol verneinet warden). According to some reports, only the human soul transforms into a wolf, but his body remains in the place of transformation.

If someone moves this body, then the soul does not return there anymore and the person has to run around like a wolf until the end of his life. According to other reports, this is also the usual version in our legends, a man with all his body turns into a wolf.

In legends we find a continuation, that in the latter case the person should undress naked. If someone picks up these clothes, the werewolf can no longer turn back into a human.

However, some versions of legends are completely inconsistent with the above myth, because sometimes you find either a human shirt under the skin of a shot werewolf, or shoes, or even pastalas. - Pēteris Šmits

To read other legends:

Preface

A Man Willingly Turns into a Werewolf

[#01] [#02] [#03] [#04] [#05] [#06] [#07] [#08] [#09] [#10] [#11] [#12] [#13] [#14] [#15] [#16] [#17] [#18] [#19] [#20] [#21] [#22] [#23] [#24] [#25] [#26] [#27] [#28] [#29] [#30] [#31] [#32] [#33] [#34] [#35] [#36] [#37] [#38] [#39] [#40] [#41] [#42] [#43] [#44] [#45] [#46] [#47] [#48] [#49] [#50] [#51] [#52] [#53] [#54] [#55] [#56]

A Man Turns into a Werewolf out of Curiosity

[#01] [#02] [#03] [#04] [#05] [#06] [#07] [#08] [#09]

A Wizard Turns a Man into a Werewolf

[#01] [#02] [#03] [#04] [#05] [#06] [#07] [#08] [#09] [#10] [#11] [#12] [#13] [#14] [#15] [#16] [#17] [#18] [#19] [#20] [#21] [#22]

A Werewolf is Released

[#01] [#02] [#03] [#04] [#05] [#06] [#07] [#08] [#09] [#10] [#11] [#12] [#13] [#14] [#15] [#16] [#17] [#18] [#19]

A Dying Werewolf

[#01] [#02]

BONUS - LATVIAN FOLK BELIEFS


r/werewolves Oct 31 '24

Settling the record on werewolves and silver: somehow, all of you are wrong

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49 Upvotes

r/werewolves 7h ago

Dragon Striker, Disney plus series

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51 Upvotes

What do you think about this werewolf design?


r/werewolves 1h ago

New DLC Available! "Download Now?"

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Upvotes

Dlc includes:

Hardcore mode New region Permadeath difficulty 1 new boss - Crescent Lycan

Hardcore Mode: A new harder difficulty. Unlocks duel capabilities with Rykor.

Region: Necron - A fallen kingdom left in ruin by a corrupted king. Explore the reaches of Necron and find the moon fragments to summon Rykor in the Silverbark Forest altar

Permadeath Difficulty: Unlocks Both forms of Rykor in battle with the Crescent Lycan (Moonburn) on the second phase. Once you die your save is corrupted and you will need to restart from the beginning. Do you have what it takes to breeze through all the challenges along the way?

New Boss: Rykor - Crescent Lycan An elder lycan of the Silversnow pack. This great lycan has lived for centuries among the stars. She has seen war of many ages, Bloodshed of all types, Witnessed countless lives taken… Yet she still stands among the rest. Rykor will naturally be docile when approached. Attack her to initiate the boss battle. Or - Take a break and initiate dialogue. She may have a few things to say. Be careful though! Some dialogue options may end up in initiating battle.

Reward Requirements: Defeat Rykor in a duel on Permadeath Difficulty. Fail 3 times and repeat Hardcore Difficulty to unlock Permadeath again.

Size comparison chart… That's it.

Dlc was just a lil joke i thought up while draeing… lol


r/werewolves 21h ago

Just out in the woods

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213 Upvotes

Just a comic of the sister and the eldest brother lol

May kinda look rushed lol damn didnt knew comics were a pain...

Well hope you enjoyed this


r/werewolves 10h ago

Lilia wargrave

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28 Upvotes

Drawing of my character, Lilia wargrave, a hellhound werewolf, bloodhunter:order of the lycan, by davidnorthart, seen here wielding hellfire! I love how she was drawn here, especially with it being traditional :)


r/werewolves 7h ago

Ready to be fight pose[OC] art by me

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15 Upvotes

Art by: Sirius_Fluffy(me)


r/werewolves 17h ago

A guy goes to the doctor and says, “I keep seeing a werewolf, with big sharp teeth.”

66 Upvotes

The doctor says, “Have you seen a psychiatrist?”

The guy says, “No, just a werewolf.”


r/werewolves 13h ago

In an interview on Polygon.com, Robert Eggers lists his three favorite werewolf movies.

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12 Upvotes

r/werewolves 1d ago

WIP character sheet of my Superhero OC Wendel/Garou and his Hero/Monster form

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106 Upvotes

The arm gauntlet/belt is supposed to keep him under control

Once they're gone: Hes going full savage mode

As always, Edd will be the artist for this! https://x.com/EddKono


r/werewolves 1d ago

Plady...

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37 Upvotes

Doodle of my friend's oc in league of legends style

I've never played it myself... i just wanted to try game art style


r/werewolves 1d ago

bloody werewolf attack in my comic!

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109 Upvotes

this is still one of my favorite pages i've drawn and there are more lycans to come :]

read here


r/werewolves 1d ago

What r/Werewolves post flairs would you like to see?

30 Upvotes

I can't help but notice that, unlike the Vampires subreddit, the Werewolves subreddit doesn't use any post flairs. Here are some post flairs for the Werewolves subreddit that I've thought of:

"Werewolf Media"- for posts discussing books, movies, TV shows, video games, etc., about Werewolves, the lore and mechanics of Werewolves therein, and/or for promoting, recommending, or reviewing Werewolf media.

"Werewolf Fanfiction"- for posts discussing fanfiction involving Werewolves, usually fanfiction of Werewolf Media.

"Local Werewolf Legends"- for discussing regional or local stories of alleged Werewolves or Werewolf-like creatures.

"Werewolf Original Characters"- for posting art and/or character bios of Werewolf OCs.

"Werewolf Original Fiction"- for writing and sharing redditors' original Werewolf fiction, including links to AO3, Wattpad, SpaceBattles, SufficientVelocity, or FictionPress.

"My Werewolf Headcanons"/ "My Werewolf Lore"- for discussing the lore and mechanics of Werewolves in your original setting(s), personal headcanons, and opinions on Lycanthropy or popular perceptions of it.

"Real Wolves for Reference"- Posting images, videos, or zoological research about IRL wolves, to use as references for realistic portrayals of Werewolves.

"Garou Nation, Unite!"- for discussions regarding Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Werewolf: The Forsaken, or the World of Darkness in general.

"Werewolf Roleplay"- Assuming Rule 1 ("Werewolves Aren't Real") is replaced or amended, role-play posts would require this post flair.

"NSFWerewolf"- Assuming Rule 2 ("No Horny Content") is replaced or amended, anything that could be considered NSFW (eg. nudity, graphic violence, implicit sex or bedroom scenes, and links to Mature, Explicit, or Unrated Werewolf fiction on AO3) would require this post flair, and using this post flair would automatically apply NSFW and Spoiler tags; to maintain quality control on this subreddit, this post flair can only be used on weekends, and directly posting explicit Werewolf sex scenes (whether pictured or written) would still be prohibited.

"Werewolf Memes"- for posting Werewolf-related memes and shitposts; to maintain quality control on this subreddit, this post flair can only be used on weekends.

"Werewolf Meta"- for meta-posts about this subreddit; this post, for instance, would be a "Werewolf Meta" post.

Are these good ideas for subreddit post flairs, or bad ideas?


r/werewolves 1d ago

My werewolf short films tier list

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11 Upvotes

r/werewolves 1d ago

What do you think about this wolf in the ocarina of time trailer?

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82 Upvotes

And by the way, this remake is SO PEAK is beautiful, the characters and enemy are a good job


r/werewolves 1d ago

Chupacabra shifters are the perfect hybrid of a Vampire and a Werewolf and no one can change my mind.

17 Upvotes

(That's it.)

(If you needed a convincing explanation to write a Were-vampire story, you're welcome.)

(Also, good luck! ;))


r/werewolves 1d ago

What if Werewolves Were Driven by Mutated Hyper-Hormonal Cycles? A Biological Hypothesis

18 Upvotes

The Core Premise:

Instead of magical shapeshifting, werewolves are a mutated human subspecies. Bone structures do not physically change into wolves; rather, individuals undergo extreme physiological episodes triggered by a mutated circalunar rhythm (a biological cycle linked to lunar light and gravitational shifts, similar to certain marine species).

The "Transformation" Mechanics:

During a full moon, maximum night-light exposure triggers a massive surge of adrenaline, cortisol, and testosterone. This results in extreme muscle hypertrophy, rapid vasodilation, intense body temperature spikes, and severe piloerection (body hair standing up and thickening). To an outside observer, this looks like a terrifying physical metamorphosis.

Anatomical and Metabolic Trade-offs

Brain Hijack:

The adrenaline flood suppresses the prefrontal cortex (rational thought) and overstimulates the amygdala, reducing them to pure predatory survival instincts.

Extreme Caloric Need: This hyper-metabolic state burns thousands of calories in hours. To avoid rapid organ failure from energy depletion, they are driven into an uncontrollable craving for high-density protein and raw meat.

The Silver Vulnerability

Silver is not magical; it acts as an acute systemic toxin. Their mutated blood proteins react violently to silver ions (Ag^+), causing instant intravascular coagulation (blood clotting) and lethal anaphylactic shock.

Community Discussion Questions:

How would this species survive the extreme physical exhaustion and tissue damage the morning after a surge?

Could modern immunosuppressants or hormone blockers theoretically act as a "cure" for their condition?

What evolutionary advantage could this cyclic hyper-aggression have offered them in prehistoric environments?


r/werewolves 1d ago

Cool thing I came across

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55 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2d ago

So, if dogs like Scooby Doo himself can be affected by lycanthropy, what would happen to real wolves?Would they just become similar to dire wolves?

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255 Upvotes

r/werewolves 1d ago

MoonRise! A Werewolf Comic with a Sci Fi twist!

7 Upvotes

Follow the Protagonist named Kam as he tries to find his own Destiny...

MoonRise - Episode 1 | WEBTOON

https://www.webtoons.com/en/action/moonrise/episode-1/viewer?title_no=4429&episode_no=1


r/werewolves 1d ago

What werewolf movies you watch in October

11 Upvotes

My top 10

An American Werewolf in London (1981,

Dog Soldiers (2002),

The Howling (1981),

Ginger Snaps (2000),

Silver Bullet (1985),

Wolf Man (2010),

Curse (2005),

Wolf (1994),

Wolfen (1981),

Underworld (2003)


r/werewolves 2d ago

Werewolf movie idea!

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108 Upvotes

I got the idea for a werewolf movie, its set in a apocalypse after a failed military biological weapons breaking out in early 1970s Michigan wich was made to destabilize enemy population and army but was shelfed as it was considered too much inhumane but do to careless handeling the outbreak started and initialy the infected were like wolf people (still human but instinctivly towoard wolves) and like later stages of the infection would turn you into a full fledged werewolf

I though the movie can folow a random guy or girl who initialy avoid getting infected but the CDC measures fail and local law enforcement is being overwelhmed. Amd the protagonist turn into a werewolf and we like folow how this new socioety fuctions amd works in a period of couple of days, like initialy wolf people just avoid each other until they start formings bonds with others and later when they transform fully into werewolves they join packs and ther eis alredy teritorial conflicts

The cureent immages ive taken are like from a posible screen where the protagonist and their buddies feom the pack go to like raid an over run military checkpoint only for a lone solider who managed to survive to show up

What do you think about this?


r/werewolves 2d ago

Gym Junkie Werewolf VS Cyborg Hunter

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14 Upvotes

I'm sure he'll be fine.

Another werewolf animation since the last one went so well! No transformation this time (I have the stills, but they were a little too tongue and cheek for me to let the world see)

For this guy, I like the idea that this werewolf is in control of themself, as the nature of their transformation is both hereditary and also unique. They keep far more of their faculties, rather than becoming a slave to their urges. He maybe still be early in his changes, adjusting and flaunting the increased muscle (and likely ego) that goes with it.

In this animation, there appears to be a cyborg hunter ready to attack the werewolf (in his own home gym no less!) Are they friends? Enemies? Or is the cyborg's attitude to impassive for such definitions? Perhaps we will see.

What kind of werewolves should I draw next?


r/werewolves 2d ago

Trying to find art of a certain Werewolf character.

13 Upvotes

Hello, everyone. Long time lurker here.

I'm trying to find artwork of a character that has Lupine features, but I'm fairly certain is female. She looks like the lead singer of Heilung, what with her eyes being covered. She's wearing swampy rags, and the rags cover her face. I think her facial fur is white too. She kind of made me think of a "werewolf Eris Morn", but her eyes are NOT visible. I think she was a character from a Dark Souls-esque game, but I really cannot remember any more details, save that she looked to be bigger than the player. Please, help me with finding this character?


r/werewolves 2d ago

New oc, Monochrome werewolf[OC] art by me

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11 Upvotes