The Werewolf Field Guide

A Synopsis of The Werewolf Handbook by Dr. Robert Curran

Includes werewolf tales, how to identify a werewolf, and how to deal with a werewolf.

 By Cassie Mullenbach

 

Artwork by Paul Mudie 

What is a werewolf?

Where do they live?

Werewolves are commonly found in Northern and Western Europe.  They often like to spend their time in the deep woodlands or dense forests, away from society where they are unable to be tracked.  

How to Spot a Werewolf?

These are a few telltale clues to identifying a werewolf in human form.  It is difficult, however, it is not impossible.  

1. Check for eyebrows that meet in the middle.  This is a sign that has long been used to identify werewolves.

2. Get a close look at their hands.  Werewolves usually have a ring finger longer than their middle finger.  This may be the easiest sign to see.

3. Werewolves avoid silver.  If this person comes into contact with silver and reacts as if they are burning, they may be a werewolf. 

4. If the person enjoys the taste of fresh raw meat, this is a major indicator that they may be a werewolf.  If this person orders their steak rare, that might be suspicious.

5. If this person has heightened senses of hearing, smell, and sight, they may be a werewolf.

6. Observe the person when a full moon approaches.  If they hang around in the woods, become extremely nervous and secretive, they may be a werewolf.  Not all werewolves enjoy this transformative power, and might be fearful of themselves in that state.  Observing their reactions will give you a good sense if they are exhibiting these feelings.

7. Werewolves have excessive body hair.  This can be seen in a widow's peak, and on the palms of their hands.  Not all people with extra body hair are werewolves, but all werewolves have excessive body hair. 

8. When a werewolf is in human form, they are likely to show increased aggression or bouts of rage.  If the person you are observing seems like they need anger management help, they may be a werewolf.

An artist rendition of what a werewolf transformation would look like.  The human form on the left would likely be identifiable as werewolf based on the above criteria.

The Three Golden Rules when Dealing with a Werewolf:

1. Try to look directly into the werewolf's eyes.

  Legend says that werewolves souls are corrupted since they are a beast.  They are unable to look directly into the eyes of a human.  Humans are said to have a slightly more pure of a soul and the werewolf is unable to look at their eyes.  The will turn away from a human to avoid looking them in the eyes.

2. Have something silver on your person at all times.

 It is said that no evil being can withstand silver because it is a pure metal.  It is possible to harm the werewolf by touching them with silver.  Legend says if you have a silver bullet, it will immediately kill the werewolf.  Touching silver causes the werewolf to feel as if it was burned.

3. Use an item of human clothing.

If you are trying to prevent a werewolf from transforming into their beastly form, throw human clothing at them.  Legend says that a person needs to be naked in order to change into their beastly form and throwing clothes at the werewolf can possibly make them change back to their human state.

 

A silver bullet, a werewolf's greatest weakness.

Types of Werewolves

The Eigi Einhamr, The Scandinavian Werewolf

The Eigi Einhamr continually roamed the forests and were a constant threat to the people living in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.  The name Eigi Einhamr means not of one skin which summarizes the shape-shifting nature of these creatures.  According to legends, some men were born with this shape-shifting power and were identified at birth when hair was spotted on the palms of their hands.  These men acquired the characteristics of the animals whose form they would take.

Many of the Eigi Einhamr were great hunters and warriors and were sought out to be soldiers by the kings at the time.  The most famous of the Eigi Einhamr was Bodvar Bjarki who makes appearances in old Norse tales.  Before battle, Bodvar Bjarki would wrap himself in the skin of a bear or wolf and he would physically transform into that animal.  

 

Artist rendition of Norse warrior Bodvar Bjarki.

The Loup-Garou, The French Werewolf

The name Loup-Garou is used for the French werewolves found in the Laurentian Mountains of Southern Quebec and the Cajun peoples of the Greater New Orleans area of Louisiana.  The name Loup-Garou directly translates to werewolf with loup meaning wolf and garulf meaning man-wolf.  Descriptions of the Loup-Garou vary with one description depicting a man with only the head of a wolf, and another describing a wolf-like creature.  Legend says to avoid this werewolf at all costs because it is incredibly dangerous.

In the Greater New Orleans area, it is believed that the Loup-Garou will only attack Catholics who have broken their Lenten vows.  Legend also says that the only way to become such a monster is to miss the Lenten Mass for seven years.  Although belief in the Loup-Garou is thought to have originated from the French settlers in North America, it is also mentioned that some Native American Indian tribes, including the Algonquin and Ojibwa, believed in something very similar to the Loup-Garou before the French settlers began to inhabit the area.  

 

 

Artist depiction of the Loup-Garou attacking a man.

 

The Laignach Faelad, The Irish Werewolf

The Laignach Faelad is considered to be one of the most persistent and terrifying stories about savage beasts in Ireland.  The Laignach Faelad is said to be half man, half wolf.  They are mentioned in the Irish text, Coir Anmann.  The word faelad refers to the soldiers that would fight for the king.  The soldiers would dress in wolf skins and were extremely fierce warriors.  The Faelad would not ask to be paid in money by the king for their warrior services, however, they did request to be paid with the flesh of newborn babies which they would devour like wolves.  It was said that these Laignach Faelad were only truly loyal to those of their kind.

 

An image of a figurine of a Laignach Faelad. 

Werewolf Tales

Gilles Garnier, The Hermit Werewolf

This story takes place in France in the late 1500's.  This time period coincided with many hard winters when wolf packs in the area were very active.  The sightings of wolves had been so close to local settlements and villages that local people began to believe that werewolves were out and about at night and maybe even living with them in the village.  Many of the townspeople began to become extremely suspicious of their neighbors or anyone who was a bit different.  

Giles Garnier was one of those people that would be considered difficult or different.  He lived in the 1750's with his wife deep in the woods.  Local people disliked him and in turn, he disliked them even more.  It was said that he lacked a proper education and likely had mental health issues.  Around the time that he and his wife moved into the area, a huge wolf had begun to carry small children off into the countryside.  The people in the area were convinced that it was a werewolf and suspicion immediately fell on Giles Garnier.

Around this time, a little girl was rescued from the wolf in a meadow.  Although she had suffered some injuries, she told her rescuers that before she was snatched by the wolf, she had recognized the face of Giles Garnier in the muzzle of the animal.  This was enough for the local authorities to order the arrest of Garnier.  He was tortured and he ended up confessing.  He gave a long account detailing his time as a werewolf and his victims.  Garnier was very vague about how he had been turning himself into a wolf and spoke of how a "spectral man" he had met in the woods had taught him the act of transformation.  His confession was enough to condemn him. Giles Garnier was found guilty and sentenced to death in 1753.  

 

Artist depiction of Giles Garnier in werewolf form with one of his victims.

The Burgomeister of Anspach, The Werewolf Mayor

This tale is about the Burgomeister (mayor) of Anspach, Germany in the mid-1600's.  The mayor was a nasty man whom the town feared and disliked.  The mayor ran most of the area and had the support of the ruling class and was more or less able to do what he wanted.  The town was extremely unhappy because no one liked the mayor, and the mayor hated them too.  

In 1685, the mayor died and everyone in the town was relieved.  However, shortly after the mayor's death, a large wolf began to roam the countryside, attacking people or livestock that came near it.  The wolf even ate a few local children, and later it was determined that these were the children of townspeople who had spoken out against the mayor when he was still alive.  It was assumed that the wolf was the spirit of the mayor trying to get revenge on those who hated him.  

The townspeople became anxious with the wolf roaming around eating their children, and the wolf proved difficult to catch.  Eventually the wolf was tracked to the nearby woods and was killed.  The townspeople brought back the body and dressed it in flesh colored clothing, a wig, and a beard to look like the old mayor.  They then paraded the body around the town shouting the old mayor's name.  The body was eventually hanged for all to see.  After this, the ghost of the mayor no longer troubled the townspeople.

 

This is an artist depiction of the hanging of the dead wolf in human clothing.

Werewolf Test:  Is someone you know a werewolf?

If you answer no to any of these questions, you are probably safe.  Probably....

Phase One: 

Phase One can be conducted at a safe distance from your suspect.

- Look at the hands.  Are they hairy?  Is the ring finger longer than the middle finger?

- Look for excess body hair.  Do they have a widow's peak?  Do they have hairy arms?

- Look at their eyebrows.  Do they meet in the middle?

If you answered yes to multiple questions, you might be in the company of a werewolf.

Phase Two:

Phase Two requires you to be a little closer to your suspect.

- Observe their clothing.  Do they wear anything related to wolves or wolf skin?

- Observe their reactions to certain foods.  Are they interested in fresh liver?

- Tease your suspect.  Do they overreact?  Are they angry?

If you answered yes to a few of these questions, it would be a good idea to continue your sleuthing.

Phase Three:

Phase Three requires more simple tests.

- Offer your suspect some wolfsbane.  Are they repelled by the plant?  Does it bring out aggression in them?

- Ask your suspect about their hobbies.  Do they like spending time alone in the woods?

- Offer the suspect something with silver in it.  Do they shrink and shy away from it?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, it would be smart to be on guard when near this person.

Phase Four:

Phase four is probably the most dangerous of all of the phases.

- Ask your suspect to meet you during a full moon.  Do they agree?  Are they licking their lips?

- If they agree to meet you, does it look like they have suddenly grown fangs?  Do they have a desire to howl?

If you have made it this far, you can definitely assume this person is a werewolf.  If you hadn't figured it out by this point, you're likely already a goner.

 

What your suspect would look like if you answered yes to any of the questions asked in Phase Four.