From: thorfinn@wixer.cactus.org (Thorfinn Einarsson)
Subject: re: question about lycanthropes
Organization: Real/Time Communications
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 02:55:34 GMT


> pw15@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Philip  Wang) wrote:
>(well, some werewolves are created through devil worship - that much I 
>remember - I think by wearing a wolfskin and dancing around some Satanic icon
>and doing some other stuff) or otherwise night creatures.

Please cite your source. In most cases, "devil worship" , called as such
by the christian paradigm, relates to the activities of pre-christian
pagans (heathens). Satan or The Devil usually appears in christian 
dominated societies and is used as an excuse for the church's firm grip 
over the sheep (I mean people). 

There are Germanic heathen sources concerning werewolves. First of all,
the word, "were-wolf", is Germanic in origin where "were-" means "man"
and "wolf" goes back to "wulf" or "u'lfr". In chapter 8 
"Sigmund and Sinfjotli Don the Skins" from the 13th century *Volsunga saga*:

<<<Begin Quote>>>
One time, they went again to the forest to get themselves some riches,
and they found a house. Inside it were two sleeping men, with thick
gold rings. A spell had been cast upon them: wolfskins hung over them
in the house and only every tenth day could they shed the skins.
Sigmund and Sinfjotli put the skins on and could not get them off.
And the weird power was there as before: they howled like wolves, both
understanding the sounds. Now they set out into the forest, each going
his own way. They agreed then that they would risk a fight with as
many as seven men, but not with more, and that the one being attacked
by more would howl with his wolf's voice. `Do not break this
agreement,' said Sigmund. `because you are young and daring, and men
will want to hunt you.'

Now each went his own way. And when they had parted, Sigmund found
seven men and howled in his wolf's voice. Sinfjotli heard him, came at
once, and killed them all. They parted again. Before Sinfjotli had
traveled very far in the forest, he met with eleven men and fought
them. In the end he killed them all. Badly wounded, Sinfjotli went
under an oak tree to rest. Then Sigmund came and said: `Why didn't you
call?' Sinfjotli replied: `I did not want to call you for help. You
accepted help to kill seven men. I am a child in age next to you, but
I did not ask for help in killing eleven men.' Sigmund leapt at him so
fiercely that Sinfjotli staggered and fell. Sigmund bit him in the
windpipe. That day they were not able to come out of the wolfskins.
Sigmund laid Sinfjotli over his shoulder, carried him home to the hut,
and sat over him. He cursed the wolfskins, bidding the trolls to take
them. 

One day Sigmund saw two weasels. One bit the other in the windpipe and
then ran into the woods, returning with a leaf and laying it on the
wound. The other weasel sprang up healed. Sigmund went out and saw a
raven flying with a leaf. The raven brought the leaf to Sigmund, who
drew it over Sinfjotli's wound. At once Sinfjotli sprang up healed, as
if he had never been injured.

Then they went to the underground dwelling and stayed there until they
were to take off the wolfskins. They took the skins and burned them in
the fire, hoping that these objects would cause no further harm. Under
that magic spell they had performed many feats in King Siggeir's kingdom.
<<<End Quote>>>

In the ancient Old Norse saga, *Egils saga*, Egill's grandfather,
named U'lfr, was said to be cheerful during the day but given to fits
of uncontrollable savagery and drowsiness as evening approached.
Because of this, "people said that he was much given to changing form
(hammrammr), so he was called Kveldulfr (Evening Wolf)."

In fact, many of the sagas talk about a class of warriors called
berserkers, who would go into a battle frenzy wearing no armor, only
wolf-skins or bear-skins. The English word, "berserker" literally
means "bear-shirt". 

Berserkers and werewolves are subclasses of a more broad category of 
shape-shifters. In the sagas, people turned into wolves, bears, harts,
dragons, whales, seals, falcons, hawks, eagles and more. There were cases
of witches turning themselves into were-mares and treading certain 
enemies to death. 

When researching shape-shifters, always go back to the ancient sources.

=-= Thorfinn Einarsson =-=-=-=-=-= ALU =-=-=-=-=-= O'dhinn er alfadhir! =-=
"En stundum vakti hann upp daudha menn o'r io"rdhu edha settisk undir hanga;
fyrir thvi' var hann kalladhr draugadro'ttinn edha hangadro'ttinn."
=-= ALU =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ynglinga saga ch. 7 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ALU =-=


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