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A werewolf (also Lycanthrope or '''wolfman'''), in Folklore , is a person who Shapeshifts into a Wolf or wolf-like creature, either purposely, by using Magic , or after being placed under a Curse . The medieval chronicler Gervase Of Tilbury associated the transformation with the appearance of the Full Moon ; however, there is evidence that the association existed among the Ancient Greeks , appearing in the writings of Petronius . This concept was rarely associated with the werewolf until the idea was picked up by Fiction writers. In Popular Culture , a werewolf can be killed only if shot by a Silver Bullet , although this was not a feature of the folk Legend s. ETYMOLOGY , 1512]] The name most likely derives from Old English ''wer'' (or '' Were '') and ''wulf''. The first part, ''wer'', translates as "man" (in the sense of male human, not the race of humanity). It has Cognates in several Germanic Languages including Gothic ''wair'', Old High German ''wer'', and Old Norse ''verr'', as well as in other Indo-European Languages , such as Latin ''vir'', Irish ''fear'', Lithuanian ''vyras'', and Welsh ''gŵr'', which have the same meaning. The second half, ''wulf'', is the ancestor of Modern English "wolf"; in some cases it also had the general meaning "beast." An alternative Etymology derives the first part from Old English ''weri'' (to wear); the full form in this case would be Glossed as ''wearer of wolf skin''. Related to this interpretation is Old Norse '' Ulfhednar '', which denoted lupine equivalents of the '' Berserker '', said to wear a bearskin in battle. Yet other sources derive the word from ''warg-wolf'', where ''warg'' (or later ''werg'' and ''wero'') is cognate with Old Norse ''vargr'', meaning "rogue," "outlaw," or, euphemistically, "wolf". A ''Vargulf'' was the kind of wolf that slaughtered many members of a flock or herd but ate little of the kill. This was a serious problem for herders, who had to somehow destroy the rogue wolf before it destroyed the entire flock or herd. Herders would often hang the wolf's hide in the bedroom of a young infant, believing it to give the baby Supernatural powers. The term '' Warg '' was used in Old English for this kind of wolf (see J. R. R. Tolkien 's book '' The Hobbit '') and for what would now be called a Serial Killer . Possibly related is the fact that, in Norse society, an outlaw (who could be murdered with no legal repercussions and was forbidden to receive aid) was typically called ''vargr'', or "wolf."
into animals in general. The term "therianthrope" literally means "beast-man," from which the words '' Turnskin '' and ''turncoat'' are derived. (Latin: ''versipellis'',1 Russian : ''oboroten'', O. Norse: ''hamrammr'').
HISTORY OF THE WEREWOLF Many Europe an countries and cultures have stories of werewolves, including Albania (''oik''), France (''loup-garou''), Greece (''lycanthropos''), Spain , Mexico (''hombre lobo''), Bulgaria (''valkolak''), Turkey (''kurtadam''), Czech Republic / Slovakia (''vlkodlak''), Serbia / Montenegro / Bosnia (''vukodlak'', ''вукодлак''), Russia (''vourdalak'', ''оборотень''), Ukraine (''vovkulak(a)'', ''vurdalak(a)'', ''vovkun'', ''перевертень''), Croatia (''vukodlak''), Poland (''wilkołak''), Romania (''vârcolac'', ''priculici''), Macedonia (''vrkolak''), Scotland (''werewolf'', '' Wulver ''), England (''werewolf''), Ireland (''faoladh'' or ''conriocht''), Germany (''Werwolf''), the Netherlands (''weerwolf''), Denmark / Sweden / Norway (''Varulv''), Norway / Iceland (''kveld-ulf'', ''varúlfur''), Galicia (''lobisón''), Portugal / Brazil (''lobisomem''), Lithuania (''vilkolakis'' and ''vilkatlakis''), Latvia (''vilkatis'' and ''vilkacis''), Andorra (''home llop''), Hungary (''Vérfarkas'' and ''Farkasember''), Estonia (''libahunt''), Finland (''ihmissusi'' and ''vironsusi''), and Italy (''lupo mannaro''). In Northern Europe , there are also tales about people changing into animals including bears, as well as wolves. The legends of Ulfhednar mentioned in Vatnsdœla saga, Haraldskvæði, and the Völsunga Saga may be a source of the werewolf legends. The ulfhednar were vicious fighters similar to the better known Berserker s, who were dressed in bear hides and reputed to channel the spirits of these animals to enhance effectiveness in battle. These warriors were resistant to pain and killed viciously in battle, much like wild animals. Ulfhednar and berserkers are closely associated with the Norse god Odin . In Latvian Folklore , the Vilkacis referred to someone transformed into a wolf-like monster which could be benevolent at times. A closely related collection of stories concern the Skin-walkers . The vilkacis and skin-walkers probably have a common origin in Proto-Indo-European Society , where a class of young unwed Warrior s were apparently associated with wolves. Shape-shifter s similar to werewolves are common in tales from all over the world, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves. See Lycanthropy and Therianthropy for more information. In Greek Mythology , the story of Lycaon provides one of the earliest examples of a werewolf legend. According to one version, Lycaon was transformed into a wolf as a result of eating human flesh; one of those who were present at periodical sacrifice on Mount Lycæon was said to suffer a similar fate. The Roman scholar Pliny The Elder , quoting Euanthes,4 22/34 says that a man of Anthius' family was selected by lot and brought to a lake in Arcadia , where he hung his clothing on an Ash Tree and swam across, resulting in his transformation into a wolf, a form in which he wandered for nine years. On the condition that he attacked no human being over the nine year period, he would be free to swim back across the lake to resume human form. The two stories are probably identical, though we hear nothing of participation in the Lycaean sacrifice by the descendant of Antaeus. Herodotus in his '' Histories ''5 tells us that the Neuri , a tribe he places to the north-east of Scythia , were annually transformed for a few days, and Virgil is familiar with transformation of human beings into wolves.6 In the novel Satyricon , written about year 60 by Gaius Petronius , one of the characters recites a story about a man who turns into a wolf during a full moon. Common Turkic folklore holds a different, reverential light to the werewolf legends in that Turkic Central Asia n shamans, after performing long and arduous rites, would voluntarily be able to transform into the humanoid ''Kurtadam'' (literally meaning "Wolfmen"). Since the wolf was the totemic ancestor animal of the Turkic peoples, they would be respectful of any Shaman who was in such a form.
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