The Werewolf (as distinct from Vampire)

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A composite portrait of a werewolf can be sketched from centuries of stories. In human form they had bushy eyebrows that met over the bridge of the nose. Their blood-red fingernails were long and almond-shaped; mouth and eyes were always dry and thirsty. Long and narrow ears were laid back against the head. Their skin was rough, scratched and hairy with yellowish, pinkish or greenish cast. In addition to such physical features, the werewolf also displayed certain psychological traits. They generally preferred the night and solitude, had an inclination towards visiting the graveyards and were known to dig up corpses and occasionally feast upon them.

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The transformation was achieved by any of the following methods:

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Curse: An ill fated man could become victim of witchcraft or fall under curse of evil spirits. The person then would involuntary turn into werewolf.

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Bitten by Werewolf: Another common belief was that any one could become one if saliva of a werewolf could find a way into blood stream; perhaps from a bite or scratch.

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Putting on Wolf Skin: The easiest way of becoming werewolf. However, there have been debates concerning effectiveness of the method. An evil minded person could put on the hide of a dead wolf and appear to become a werewolf. In case the complete skin was unavailable, a belt or girdle of wolf hide would supplement it.

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Diabolism: A thoroughly wicked individual could worship the Devil who would grant him the power to become a werewolf. In some cases it could be any evil spirit answering.

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Magic Salve or Ointment: A good number of recorded cases mention a potent salve or ointment with which the potential werewolf would rub their bodies for transformations. The compositions of those ointments were different, but generally contained plant ingredients such as deadly nightshade (belladonna) and henbane. Pig fat, turpentine and olive oil were used as solvent for them. Later, when the distillation of spirits was perfected, alcohol served the purpose.

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Rituals: Evidence of ceremonial rituals are often mentioned in werewolf cases. The rituals were mainly any combination of the voluntary methods of becoming a werewolf. First the afflicted man would locate an isolated place and trace a large circle on the soil. In the centre of that circle he made a fire and prepared his magic ointment. After rubbing his body with the ointment he would wear the wolf hide and concentrate on an evocation to the Devil. At the end of the process the man turned into a wolf and ran in search of prey.

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Montague Summers reveals in one of his books that "the lycanthropist is liable to become a vampire when he dies," and the logic in that can be seen. I would make the distinction, however, between the medical disease of lycanthropy and the affliction of werewolfism in this regard. Men attacked with this madness where they become like ravening wolves are not automatically destined to become vampires. What both vampire and werewolf share in common is the apparent ability to shape-shift.
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The vampire, whether the corporeal host was formerly someone afflicted with werewolfism or not, retains the power of metamorphosis. The vampire can metamorphose as a wolf, but the werewolf is not necessarily doomed to become a vampire. The lycanthropist/werewolf is a living person with a terrible affliction; sometimes hereditary, sometimes acquired; which evinces as a horrible pleasure born of the thirst to quaff warm human blood.

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Summers reveals that "a werewolf is a human being, man, woman or child (more often the first), who either voluntarily or involuntarily changes or is metamorphosed into the apparent shape of a wolf, and who is then possessed of all the characteristics, the foul appetites, ferocity, cunning, the brute strength, and swiftness of that animal. This shape-shifting is for the most part temporary, of longer or shorter duration, but it is sometimes supposed to be permanent. The transformation, again, such as it is, if desired, can be effected by certain rites and ceremonies, which in the case of a constitutional werewolf are often of the black goetic kind. The resumption of the original form may also then be wrought at will."

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