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Vampire watermelons are a folk legend from the Balkans , in southeastern Europe . The story is associated with the Roma people of the region, who originated much of Vampire Folklore among other unusual legends. The belief in vampire Watermelon s is similar to the belief that any inanimate object left outside during the night of a full Moon will become a vampire. According to tradition, virtually any kind of Melon or Pumpkin kept more than ten days or after Christmas will become a vampire, rolling around on the ground and growling to pester the living. People have little fear of the vampire melons because of the creatures' lack of Teeth . One of the main indications that a melon is about to undergo a vampiric transformation (or has just completed one) is said to be the appearance of a drop of Blood on its Skin . The only known reference in scholarship is Tatomir Vukanović 's account of his journeys in Serbia from 1933 to 1948 . He wrote several years later in the '' Journal Of The Gypsy Lore Society '': ''The belief in vampires of plant origin occurs among Gs. who belong to The Mosl. Faith in KM [Kosovo-Metohija . According to them there are only two plants which are regarded as likely to turn into vampires: pumpkins of every kind and water-melons. And the change takes place when they are 'fighting one another.' In Podrima and Prizrenski Podgor they consider this transformation occurs if these vegetables have been kept for more than ten days: then the gathered pumpkins stir all by themselves and make a sound like 'brrrl, brrrl, brrrl!' and begin to shake themselves. It is also believed that sometimes a trace of blood can be seen on the pumpkin, and the Gs. then say it has become a vampire. These pumpkins and melons go round the houses, stables, and rooms at night, all by themselves, and do harm to people. But it is thought that they cannot do great damage to folk, so people are not very afraid of this kind of vampire.'' The majority of Vukanović's article discusses human vampires; vampiric agricultural tools are also mentioned. Though modern readers may be Skeptic al that such beliefs ever existed, the Superstition s of Gypsy culture are well documented. The ''Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society'' has many articles that are collections of Gypsy tales, presumably Oral History . However others are horror stories that allegedly include the direct involvement of the source (e.g., the fatal consequences of disrespecting the dead). In this context, vampire watermelons are not necessarily any more implausible than other superstitious beliefs. The story was popularised by 's 1976 book reprinted Vukanović's account, and recent popular books on the topic of vampirism include a mention. SOURCES
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