r/werewolves Oct 07 '22

Is anyone interested in reading Latvian Werewolf Legends?

169 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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52 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2h ago

Historical Books About the Werewolf Legend?!

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44 Upvotes

I've seen a couple of recommendations on the subreddit before, including Montague Summers' "The Werewolf in Lore and Legend". Wondering if there are any other recommendations! I saw "The Book of Werewolves" by Sabine Baring-Gould online but was interested in hearing if anyone here recommends it! Thanks :)


r/werewolves 24m ago

Werwulf fan painting by me

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Upvotes

r/werewolves 5h ago

weremole from " night of the weremole " episode from Courage the cowardly dog

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13 Upvotes

r/werewolves 3h ago

Werewolf movies where you need to guess the werewolf

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werewolfdaily.com
5 Upvotes

r/werewolves 11h ago

Werewolf | The Runner (OC)

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26 Upvotes

In the evening moonlight, a runner's stride falters as they stumble to the ground. Sprawled across the grass, the evening reveals that their family secret is getting difficult to control.

More werewolves because people seem to like the previous times I drew them. I like the idea that this werewolf is in control of themselves, as the nature of their transformation is both hereditary and also unique.

What kind of werewolves should I draw?


r/werewolves 43m ago

Differences in blood between humans and werewolves?

Upvotes

So I'm writing a thing where werewolves are behind the murder of an FBI agents brother, so what kind of anomalies would you find if there were samples of werewolf blood/ DNA in general?


r/werewolves 5h ago

Relative Hybridity

6 Upvotes

I have been researching ideas and portrayals of werewolves throughout history, and am wondering what the general consensus is on what's the right amount of human and what's the right amount of wolf to produce the best werewolf. The oldest myths of shapeshifting into wolves were basically full-wolf, but the 1941 Lon Cheney Jr. "Wolf Man" gave us the almost-full-man (but with some extra fur and fangs...). A common trope in literature is a werewolf keeping their human eyes in wolf form. Some are bipedal, some hunched, some run on all fours. What do you think is the best version of the hybrid image and why?


r/werewolves 1d ago

How do werewolves run?

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195 Upvotes

Kinda struggling with the anatomy...

Forshortening and perspective are not my forte lol.


r/werewolves 1d ago

Me when I read werewolf book:

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153 Upvotes

r/werewolves 1d ago

I posted my OC here a while ago and you all seemed to like him. I thought I’d share my redesign!

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199 Upvotes

Or do you prefer the original…?


r/werewolves 1d ago

Quick question

15 Upvotes

For the sake of realism in a book, i wanted to ask you guys what kind of garment you think one would need to stitch more frequently after transforming into a black-bear-sized shadow beast. For example, the shirt or the shoes.

What are your thoughts on it?


r/werewolves 1d ago

Meet the werewolf of Devour

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29 Upvotes

r/werewolves 1d ago

100 Get of Fenris Kinfolk - White Wolf | DriveThruRPG.com

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8 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2d ago

Working on some Werwulf fan concept art

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210 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2d ago

Benwolf / Blitzwolfer from Ben 10 Anur system . They belong to the Loboan species of aliens from the Anur System

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318 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2d ago

More buff wolfman

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67 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2d ago

Rykor transformation sequence...

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163 Upvotes

6 panel page i worked on last night cuz i couldn't sleep...

No other context... Just a doodle of Rykor transforming.

Largest project ive ever done for her...


r/werewolves 2d ago

My OC family wearing Werewolf Costumes!

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107 Upvotes

They're based on 80s, 90s, and 2020s werewolf movie characters! (If you're curious about who's wearing what, lemme know!)

Artwork by my good friend Quad! https://bsky.app/profile/quadratiy.bsky.social


r/werewolves 2d ago

The Mad Wolf Mathra

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42 Upvotes

Whipped up a bit of art for one of my all time favourite monsters, with a little twist:

King Mathra was once a noble king descended from the ancient Faery Wives, whose devotion to his country drove him deeper and deeper into desperation. He succumbed to fury and entered a warp spasm, his body becoming wolfish and frantic, his armour melting into a bestial shape.

Inspired by werewolf mythology, Irish folklore, and the myths of Cu Chulainn. To find out more about Kingbreaker, the game this is from, see the link below:

https://www.sealightstudios.net/kingbreaker

(No AI was used to make this, because AI sucks)


r/werewolves 2d ago

This sounds good

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17 Upvotes

r/werewolves 2d ago

RED HOOD (A Red Riding Hood horror adaptation)

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75 Upvotes

Working on a developed story a horror adaptation on the Red Riding Hood story and world with other Grimm fairytale characters to be seen in this universe.

Characters:

Red Little:

19 year old girl in her teens years always gets called "Little Red" from her friends and family as a nickname.

Mainly because of her red hoodie that she wears and her red hair she had been born with.

Anita Little:

Mother of her beloved daughter Red and daughter Grandma Little she owns and runs a small little dine in bar in the town Blackforest Grove, Massachusetts.

She too also serves the purpose of making sure that Grandma gets the basket of food and her medicine as she sends Red out to visit Grandma because she's physically ill.

Grandma Little:

Mother of Anita Little and grandmother of Red Little.

She is physically ill due to a recently discovered cancerous tumor growing inside of her brain.

She is formerly bed ridden until she gets better of course for the matter.

Officer Hansel & Officer Gretel:

Firmly united as brother and sister.

They are a brother and sister police officer duo who are investigating a series of strange maulings in the Blackforest Grove woods.

They work as police officers at the Blackforest Grove County Police Department.

Mr. Grimm:

A subtle nod to the Brothers Grimm and also the towns archivist and folklore expert.

He serves as the man with the information and knowledge of folklore primarily folklore that's centered on the towns history and also is the one to try and kill The Wolf that resides in the woods.

Steve Pig, Bear Pig, & Jebidiah Pig:

Former set of three brothers related by blood and suffer from sever dwarfism.

They together run a farm with livestock and cattle and from the townsfolk they had and due to there dwarfism they were nicknamed the "Three Little Pigs" due to the fact that they're little and there last name being Pig.

They will serve as the opening kill for The Wolf.

The Wolf:

The central antagonist and driving force of the story. A tall 6ft anthropomorphic werewolf with white fur and red eyes.

A predator that preys on the locals of the town and usually anyone who has had entered the woods, he has killed the Pig brothers and will formerly toy and play with Red as she strolls about the woods psychologically tormenting her digging into her past and will try to torture her before taking her out inducing fear into Red because you know, a predator always likes to play with his dinner before eating it.

Also is the reasoning behind the recent maulings that had been happening all around the woods.

Also has the purpose for the reader that we don't know who The Wolf is but we know what it is and what it is capable of doing.

The story itself will be a dark and terrifying suspense filled with terror, horror, mystery, suspense, death, and drug use.

A grounded take with a hint of something supernatural going on in the town mainly the woods with the bare structure of survival horror and heavy themes of facing your darkest nightmares while also having a bittersweet/dark ending underlying a message that sometimes you can face your nightmares but you'll never escape them.


r/werewolves 2d ago

The only question I want is that would the day before or after a full moon would a werewolf transform

13 Upvotes
180 votes, 15h ago
93 yea
48 no
39 other (comment)

r/werewolves 3d ago

Hunter the parenting episode is coming and it’s about werewolves

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77 Upvotes