Werewolf
The werewolf is an ancient legend that tells of the transfiguration of a human being into a man-beast, and it tends to appear as a physical projection of bestial human nature. Variants exist depending on geographical distribution: the man-jaguar (a legend widespread among pre-Columbian mythologies), the man-panther, the man-bear, and the man-hyena (in Africa).
With regard to the werewolf in particular, the legend, deeply rooted in European traditions, appears to be inspired by the figure of Lycaon, a Greek myth that tells the story of the founder and king of the city of Lycosura, who had the imprudence to try to deceive Zeus, and the supreme god condemned him and his descendants to be turned into wolves. Therein lies the origin of the word lycanthropy (Lycaon —wolf— and anthropos —human—).
In medieval times, stories about werewolves were widespread throughout European territory, and until the early modern period they were linked to witchcraft and heresy: an accusation of lycanthropy carried the penalty of the stake. Suffering from hirsutism (a condition that causes excessive growth of body hair) was considered “suspicious” and could turn the afflicted person into a victim of the Inquisition. That said, while true werewolves actually suffered the curse of transforming into beasts, sorcerers and wizards could, without any suffering, transform into werewolves at will without losing their human faculties at any moment.
Today, the legend of the werewolf generally refers to a human being who, as a consequence of some curse, transforms on nights of the full moon into a savage animal that goes out to commit atrocities, becoming dangerous even to those closest to him, as he mercilessly tears apart his victims and then devours their raw flesh.
Why might a human being become a werewolf? On this point various versions exist: having been conceived or sleeping naked during a full moon, covering oneself with wolf skins, having been the victim of a spell, making a pact with the devil, or being the seventh son in a family (lobizón). Nevertheless, for a long time there existed a less fantastical explanation for this supposed phenomenon: it was believed that the bite of a wolf could bring about this bestial transfiguration in the victim.
How to defend oneself against a werewolf?
Some traditions hold that the werewolf must be called three times by its given name, or that three drops of blood must be drawn from it while the transformation is taking place. Exorcism was also a widely prescribed remedy, as were certain medicinal plants. But the most effective method is to shoot it with silver bullets previously blessed by a priest and fashioned from some object of Christian worship.