The Book of Were-Wolves

by Sabine Baring-Gould

THE

BOOK OF WERE-WOLVES.

The Were Wolves

THE

BOOK OF WERE-WOLVES:

BEING AN

ACCOUNT OF A TERRIBLE SUPERSTITION.

BY

SABINE BARING-GOULD, M.A.,

AUTHOR OF

"ICELAND: ITS SCENES AND SAGAS," "POST MEDIÆVAL PREACHERS," ETC.

LONDON:

SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 85, CORNHILL.

1865.

[The Right of Translation is reserved.]

CONTENTS.
PAGE
Preface		xi
CHAPTER I.
Introductory		1
CHAPTER II.
Lycanthropy among the Ancients.
Definition of Lycanthropy—Marcellus Sidetes—Virgil— Herodotus—Ovid—Pliny—Agriopas—Story from Petronius—Arcadian Legends—Explanation offered		8
CHAPTER III.
The Were-wolf in the North.
Norse Traditions—Manner in which the Change was effected—Vœlundar Eyoeda—Instances from the Völsunga Saga—Hrolfs Saga Kraka—Faroese Poem—Helga Kvida—Vatnsdsela Saga—Eyrbyggja Saga		15
CHAPTER IV.
The Origin of the Scandinavian Were-wolf.
Advantage of the Study of Norse Literature—Bear and Wolf-skin Dresses—The Berserkir—Their Rage—The Story of Thorir—Passages from the Aigla—The Evening Wolf—Skallagrim and his Son—Derivation of the Word "Hamr:" of "Vargr"—Laws affecting Outlaws—"To become a Boar"—Recapitulation		34
CHAPTER V.
The Were wolf in the Middle Ages.
Stories from Olaus Magnus of Livonian Were-wolves—Story from Bishop Majolus—Story of Albertus Pericofcius—Similar occurrence at Prague—Saint Patrick—Strange incident related by John of Nüremberg—Bisclaveret—Courland Were-wolves—Pierre Vidal—Pavian Lycanthropist—Bodin's Stories—Forestus' Account of a Lycanthropist—Neapolitan Were-wolf		53
CHAPTER VI.
A Chapter of Horrors.
Pierre Bourgot and Michel Verdung—The Hermit of S. Bonnot—The Gandillon Family—Thievenne Paget—The Tailor of Châlons—Roulet		69
CHAPTER VII.
Jean Grenier.
On the Sand-dunes—A Wolf attacks Marguerite Poirier—Jean Grenier brought to Trial—His Confessions—Charges of Cannibalism proved—His Sentence—Behaviour in the Monastery—Visit of Del'ancre		85
CHAPTER VIII.
Folk-lore Relating to Were-wolves.
Barrenness of English Folk-lore—Devonshire Traditions—Derivation of Werewolf—Cannibalism in Scotland—The Angus Robber—The Carle of Perth—French Superstitions—Norwegian Traditions—Danish Tales of Were-wolves—Holstein Stories—The Were-wolf in the Netherlands—Among the Greeks; the Serbs; the White Russians; the Poles; the Russians—A Russian Receipt for becoming a Were-wolf—The Bohemian Vlkodlak—Armenian Story—Indian Tales—Abyssinian Budas—American Transformation Tales—A Slovakian Household Tale—Similar Greek, Béarnais, and Icelandic Tales		100
CHAPTER IX.
Natural Causes of Lycanthropy.
Innate Cruelty—Its Three Forms—Dumollard—Andreas Bichel—A Dutch Priest—Other instances of Inherent Cruelty—Cruelty united to Refinement—A Hungarian Bather in Blood—Suddenness with which the Passion is developed—Cannibalism; in pregnant Women; in Maniacs—Hallucination; how Produced—Salves—The Story of Lucius—Self-deception		130
CHAPTER X.
Mythological Origin of the Were-wolf Myth.
Metempsychosis—Sympathy between Men and Beasts—Finnbog and the Bear—Osage and the Beaver—The Connexion of Soul and Body—Buddism—Case of Mr. Holloway—Popular ideas concerning the Body—The derivation of the German Leichnam—Feather Dresses—Transmigration of Souls—A Basque Story—Story from the Pantschatantra— Savage ideas regarding Natural Phenomena—Thunder, Lightning, and Cloud—The Origin of the Dragon—John of Bromton's Dragon a Water-spout—The Legend of Typhœus—Allegorizing of the Effects of a Hurricane—Anthropomorphosis—The Cirrus Cloud, a Heavenly Swan—Urvaçi—The Storm-cloud a Daemon—Vritra and Râkschâsas—Story of a Brahmin and a Râkschasas		153
CHAPTER XI.
The Maréchal de Retz.—I. The Investigation op Charges.
Introduction—History of Gilles de Laval—The Castle of Machecoul—Surrender of the Marshal—Examination of Witnesses—Letter of De Retz—The Duke of Brittany reluctant to move—The Bishop of Nantes		181
CHAPTER XII.
The Maréchal De Retz.—II. The Trial.
The Appearance of the Marshal—Pierre de l'Hospital—The Requisition—The Trial adjourned—Meeting of the Marshal and his Servants—The Confession of Henriet—Pontou persuaded to confess all—The adjourned Trial not hurried on—The hesitation of the Duke of Brittany		207
CHAPTER XIII.
Maréchal de Retz.—III. The Sentence and Execution.
The adjourned Trial—The Marshal Confesses—The Case handed over to the Ecclesiastical Tribunal—Prompt steps taken by the Bishop—The Sentence—Ratified by the Secular Court—The Execution		226
CHAPTER XIV.
A Galician Were-wolf.
The Inhabitants of Austrian Galicia—The Hamlet of Polomyja—Summer Evening in the Forest—The Beggar Swiatek—A Girl disappears—A School-boy vanishes—A Servant-girl lost—Another Boy carried off—The Discovery made by the Publican of Polomyja—Swiatek locked up—Brought to Dabkow—Commits Suicide		238
CHAPTER XV.
Anomalous Case.—The Human Hyæna.
Ghouls—Story from Fornari—Quotation from Apuleius—Incident mentioned by Marcassus—Cemeteries of Paris violated—Discovery of Violator—Confession of M. Bertrand		250
CHAPTER XVI.
A Sermon on Were-wolves.
The Discourses of Dr. Johann Geiler—The Sermon—Remarks		261