PUBLISHER AND EDITOR IN CHIEF Pat Linse CO-PUBLISHER Michael Shermer

EDITOR AND WRITER Daniel Loxton

Hello!

Today, we will dare to track down some of the most ferocious beasts from movies and myth—werewolves! These savage CONTRIBUTORS: shapeshifters have inspired tales of terror for centuries. Pat Linse is the creator of People didn’t always believe that werewolves were make-believe and Editor in Chief creatures. For hundreds of years werewolves were feared as an of JUNIOR SKEPTIC. She wrote many of all too deadly threat. Farmers huddled near guttering candles at the early issues. night, terrified that bloodthirsty beasts prowled just outside the Jim W. W. Smith door. Soldiers hunted werewolves. Accused werewolves were is a cartoonist captured and punished. Amazingly, witnesses have even reported and CGI illustrator who works werewolf sightings in modern America! How can that be? regularly with Daniel Loxton on JUNIOR SKEPTIC Let’s find out! and a variety of book projects for kids. Daniel Loxton is the Editor of Hollywood Werewolves JUNIOR SKEPTIC, and writes and illustrates most is2 sues. Daniel is the Werewolves are best known today as classic movie monsters. author of Evolu They’ve terrified audiences for more than 100 years, appearing in tion: How We and All Living Things countless movies and TV series since the silent film era. Came to Be. The early horror films Werewolf of London (1935) and The Wolf Man (1941) made werewolves into movie stars. They’ve been prowling across our screens ever since. Thank you What makes werewolves such popular monsters? to Blake Smith for They’re wild, powerful, and dangerous. Werewolves are sharing his useful research on the his2 fast, strong, ferocious—and incredibly hard to kill. tory of silver bullets In some stories, werewolves can keep their human intelli- in werewolf lore. gence while transformed. Good characters like Harry Potter’s Professor Lupin or the noble werewolf clan in the Twilight movies make powerful allies.

This Issue’s Cover Most werewolves aren’t so lucky. They’re cursed to SKEPTIC No.JUNIOR 32 (1010) features a digital painting by Daniel lose all control when they transform, becoming Loxton. savage, bloodthirsty predators. That’s horrifying! A werewolf might attack innocent people or even their own family without realizing it. Werewolves are also hidden in plain sight. Even the most friendly and gentle character could transform into a killer whenever the Moon rises. Origins of Werewolves

Horror movies may be the modern habitat of the werewolf, but where did the legend come from? The origin of were- wolves is a bit complicated, and I’m afraid that story includes some gory details and images. It’s not too late to turn back! Some legends began at a specific moment in history. For example, the Loch Ness monster legend did not exist until it suddenly burst into stardom in 1933. Other mysteries are far, far older—so old that their origins are lost in time. Nobody knows when the first ghost stories were told. Haunted house stories were already old in ancient Roman times. Ghost sto- ries are probably as old as spoken language. Werewolf legends are both old and new. Some of the things we think about werewolves were invented by modern filmmakers. However, the idea of people transforming into wolves is very ancient indeed.

Werewolves in the Ancient World Our ancestors have shared this world with wolves for Photo by Gary Kramer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife and Fish Gary by the U.S. Photo for Kramer millions of years. Wolves were already top predators when prehistoric people learned to make spears and tell tales Gray wolf around the fire. Sometimes our ancestors were hunted by wolves. This made it easy for ancient storytellers to imagine wolves as monsters. It was also easy to imagine transforming transformed the king into a wolf so that Lycaon’s body would into animals—soaring like birds, fighting with the strength match his bloodthirsty killer’s heart. The story of Lycaon’s of a bear, and so on. Cultures all over the world have told punishment gave us the word “lycanthropy,” which can animal transformation stories. Many feature wolves. Ancient mean either a magical curse that transforms a human into people respected, feared, and hated wolves, and all for the an animal, or a psychological delusion that one does become same reason: wolves are smart, swift, and deadly. Transforming a beast. into a wolf might give a warrior great power. Or, it might reveal A story about one cursed king isn’t the same as a general that a person had the evil soul of a murderer. belief in werewolves. Individual people and gods were often In one story from ancient Greek myth, a wicked king transformed into animals in Greek mythology. Nonetheless, named Lycaon dared to secretly serve human flesh to Zeus, werewolf stories started to spread. the almighty king of the gods. Zeus was furious when he “That men have been turned into wolves, and again detected this gruesome deception. The wrathful god de- restored to their original form” was a common belief by the stroyed the king’s palace with “avenging fire.” Zeus then time of the Roman writer Pliny the Elder. Pliny felt confi- dent that these claims were completely bogus. He was ap- palled that this “fabulous” belief was “firmly fixed in the Zeus turning minds of the common people” and promoted by respected Lycaon into a wolf authors. Those sources claimed that members of a certain family would sometimes dive into a lake and emerge in the form of wolves. Pliny didn’t believe this for a second, saying, “There is no falsehood, if ever so barefaced,” that won’t be claimed by some irresponsible writer. A modern-sounding werewolf tale was also included in a Roman novel called the Satyricon. In the story, two men walk by a moonlit cemetary. One suddenly strips naked, transforms into a wolf, and runs off into the night to attack cattle. A farmworker stabs the wolf in the neck with a pitch- fork. Later the werewolf is found in human form—injured in bed with an identical neck wound. JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) JUNIOR SKEPTIC No.

65 JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) Medieval were- Medieval cul- the Norse In wolf beliefs and sto- common, ries were all but they weren’t some In the same. werewolves stories, cursed because were they did something Others were wrong. into wolf tricked form, had spells cast upon them, or were simply born into a family of were- Some stories wolves. for reason no gave trans- the werewolf’s formation. of the Vikings, ture fearsome berserker into went warriors bear wearing battle These or wolf skins. some- were warriors times thought to gain of the ani- the power mals whose skin they Some were wore. even said to literally into those transform animals for fierce those sto- In battle. animal transfor- ries, not a mation was Becoming Wolves Becoming Many thousands of people were killed by wolves over the killed people were thousands of Many However, a different Norse story werewolves claimed that a different However, taught modern wolves to avoid people. Back in Medieval Back people. avoid wolves to modern taught were instead that humans sometimes learned wolves times, to catch. and easy weak, slow, distant memory The that danger is preserved of in centuries. Red and “Little Wolf” as “Thefolktales such Who Cried Boy legend of the werewolf. in the enduring Hood”—and Riding curse, but a superpower. curse, pun- One clan was cursed by Saint Patrick. were in Ireland so that “all teachings, religious ished for mocking the saint’s either changed into wolves” the members of that clan are were- Irish every at a time. or for seven years seven years in this version of the to devour men” “eager wolves were in friendlier considerably were werewolves Ireland’s story. another version told by an English writer about 800 years 66 However, rare However, serious danger to a much more wolves were However, Modern people Modern Medieval Werewolves usually think of wolves as beautiful, majestic, and harm- It’s less to humans. true that wolf at- verytacks are rare America. in North I’ve come face to face with wild wolves myself. close encoun- Those quiet and ters were can peaceful. You imagine that I well felt intimidated, but I terrified. I wasn’t knew that human not nor- beings are for mally prey or American wolves. Canadian Our wolves tend to shy. be rather do wolf attacks sometimes occur. disease rabies The can cause wolves to become extremely Rabid aggressive. wolves will bite as people and many animals as possible. is how the dis- (This ease is spread.) also decide to hunt people if normal wolves may Healthy wolf at- Modern such as deer become scarce. food sources common in other parts somewhat more of the tacks are and Iran. India, world such as Russia, a were There reasons. for several Europe, people in Medieval Peasants people. far fewer and wolves in those days, lot more in the countryside lived much closer to the animals of the now of hunting have Centuries had no guns. They forests. Hungry Wolves Hungry Werewolf beliefs were common throughout Europe during Europe common throughout beliefs were Werewolf is reason The and kings. period of castles the Medieval did occasionally really back then, wolves simple: probably eat people. JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) ing backintoahuman.Shethen married anotherknightshe she secretly stolehisclothing. This prevented himfrom turn- Thewas nottobetrusted. nexttimeheturnedintoawolf, secret tohiswife. Unfortunately, she One day theknightconfessedthis reasons forthree week. days every form intoawolfforunknown some knightwhowouldtrans- such was abrave andhand- land.”“known inevery One France saidwerewolves were him from thecurse. lose hisfootbecauseitsaved hewas “righteveryone glad”to former werewolf latertold werewolf’s humanform.The an axe, restored theinjury the a footfrom thatwerewolf using carpenter managedtochopoff savage teeth.” Whenabrave tacked adultswith“keen and “devoured children” andat- werewolves byname. Onehad personal knowledgeoftwo wolves.” This authorclaimed the moonare transformed into waxings of men whoatcertain writer, there are “itiscertain In England,explainedanother orpeaceful. quite socourteous him forhishelp. the road andwarmly thanked helpfully ledthepriestbackto The nextmorning thewerewolf fire withthefriendly werewolf. prayed withher, thenshared a moaning inpain.The priest friend lyingunderatree, woods. They foundthewolf’s He followed thewolfinto The trembling priestagreed. who lay sickandneardeath. to pray foranotherwerewolf asked thepriesttopleasecome seven years. He thenpolitely take theformofawolffor that hewas amancursedto wolf. The werewolf explained and benotafraid,” saidthe in ahumanvoice. “Rest secure, years whenoneIrish werewolf walked upandspoke tohim ago. He claimedthatapriesthadbeensurprisedinrecent One famous story fromOne famousstory werewolfNot was every priest prayswithafriendly,sickwerewolf. Illustrations from an 1187manuscriptaboutIreland.Herea Topographia Hibernica for more thanayear. Then, oneday, thekingwent hunting loved more. Her betrayed husbandwas stuckinwolfform evil witcheswere hiddenthroughout society. stories togetherintoonelegend: thebeliefthatcountless bringingthemanylore tostart different kinds of werewolf , another kindofsupernatural folk- nate heroes inothers. It took in thesamewoods. The king’s in somestories, and unfortu- hounds chasedthewerewolf wolves were savage predators from oneanother. Were- wolf taleswere quitedifferent wolves. Buttheseearlywere- could sometimesturninto lieved thatmenandwomen wolf. cursing himtotheformofa ping downamagicaltree and wife betrayed himbychop- cheating queens. Gorlagon’s named Gorlagon,and King Arthur, awerewolf king tale involved thelegendary English versionofthissame banished from theland. scheming loverswere regained hislands. The became humanagainand clothes were returned. He her crimes. The werewolf’s wife. Shesoonconfessed prison andinterrogate the wolf thathedecidedtoim- wife. The the kingsotrusted he laterspotted hisunfaithful came evenmore savage when be heldback.The wolfbe- attacked hisrival andhadto betrayed him.The werewolf the otherknightwhohad until oneday thewolfspotted much lovedbytheking— wolf harmednoone, andwas he madethewolfhispet.The The kingwas soamazedthat king’s feettobegformercy. the wolfgentlylicked the When thekingcameclose, ing” from many wounds. “till hewas tornandbleed- Many peopleclearlybe- A longerandmore violent 67 two JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) or several or Amazingly, many accused werewolves were arrested and arrested were accused werewolves many Amazingly, in which ways trials show us some of the bizarre These at- was in France a traveller 1521, for example, Around Witchcraft also provided an explanation for wolf attacks. an provided also Witchcraft witches believed that the Devil granted widely was It beliefs became stories and witchcraft werewolf this way, In It’s difficult to know what really happened in many were- really happened in many difficult to know what It’s a penniless old widow—they might find themselves arrested find themselves might widow—they old a penniless then be tortured would “witches” Accused for witchcraft. how no matter and everything, to anything agreed until they under they “confessed” the accusation. Once outlandish for. done they were torture, put on trial. Most were poor peasants, hermits, or homeless hermits, poor peasants, were put on trial. Most actually have mentally ill. A few may Some were people. been unfairly have while others may people, murdered found guilty were Most by normal wolves. blamed for attacks and sentenced to death. such as deadly wolf to explain horrors people attempted a curious also reveal They or multiple murders. attacks and new religion, beliefs, witchcraft between relationship that had just started root. to take scientific attitudes and the an- wounded the wolf, traveller The by a wolf. tacked seemed to lead to the tracks wolf’s The away. imal ran ar- was Verdun isolated hut of a man named Michel Verdun. supposed more soon named two He as a werewolf. rested incredible who told an Bourgot, Pierre One was werewolves. had made that he and Verdun claimed He tale under torture. them a magical lotion to trans- a deal with demons who gave the wolves supposedly ravaged The form into werewolves. three All children. devouring several countryside together, executed. men were Even back then, it wasn’t an everyday occurrence for people an everyday occurrence back then, it wasn’t Even attacks any might not have area An to get eaten by wolves. in a short attacks and then suffer a plague of savage for years, under- not always did all of a sudden? People now, Why time. because they were driven to attack stand that wolves were be responsible? witches Could diseased or starving. make fly, could supposedly They fantastic magical powers. could also trans- They summon storms. people sick, and even cats—or wolves! form themselves into animals such as hares, just were attacks combined into one big superstition. Wolf just was A werewolf to hurt for witches people. way one more another kind of witch! Werewolves on Trial on Werewolves Werewolves and Witchcraft and Werewolves wolf cases. Records are scarce. The use of torture made so- The scarce. are Records wolf cases. a hermit 1578, In called confessions completely unreliable. after confessing that he executed named Gilles Garnier was caught the fully human apparently Witnesses a werewolf. was f blamed also was He victim. young one near Garnier e accused e Witches making a deal with the Devil 68 People in many European countries became convinced European in many People the one of the as today remembered witch hunts are The their illness ill, for example, someone fell mysteriously If Most cultures have a belief that some people have magical a belief that some people have have cultures Most and so on. witches, fortunetellers, powers—sorcerers, said to be evil, but their supposed always aren’t Witches about the imaginary Concern dangers feared. are powers the Medieval throughout in Europe simmered of witchcraft or in the early centuries of the Renaissance period. Then, witches exploded into waves period, fear of Early Modern of violence. supposedly evil. Witches pure absolute, that witches were to harm inno- in secret worshipped the Devil and worked to everyone. made them a deadly threat This cent people. necessary it was to find the witches, safe, society keep To the and punish them. Usually expose their evil practices, and death—often torture punishment was by burning alive. killed after some- thousands of innocent people were Sadly, one falsely accused them of witchcraft. did How in human history. mistakes worst and most tragic big problem things? The people come to do such horrible that bad things often happened in the world, and no was people struggled to understand example, For one knew why. When someone illness because no one knew about germs. or hail storms wiped out crops, or unexpected sickened, people had no good explana- wolves began to hunt villagers, Witchcraft tragedies. tions for these unfair and terrible totally false. an explanation, even if it was beliefs provided with in the quarreled might be blamed on someone they’d the a witch! If secretly their neighbor was past. Perhaps family, or powerful or had a large rich accused person was hard all, it’s After get far. wouldn’t the accusation probably people had Rich an imaginaryto prove magical crime. th if But themselves. defend them help to resources or alone—such as mentally ill, unpopular, poor, person was Witches and Wolf Trials wolf attacks. When interrogated, he “freely confessed” that he may never know for sure. However, there are reasons for was the wolf. He was then burned at the stake. Was he tortured? skepticism. The only evidence connecting him to any of the Threatened? Delusional? Was he guilty of one murder? None? deaths was the unbelievable tale he “voluntarily confessed” Several? There’s no way to know. under threat of torture. All of the deaths could be better The most famous werewolf trial was probably that of Peter explained as wolf attacks. Witnesses literally saw the wolf. Stubbe, also called “the Werewolf of Bedburg.” Around 1589, Stubbe also was not found with any magical werewolf belt, neighboring towns in Germany suffered a terrible series of but an ordinary walking stick. When authorities checked the wolf attacks. Many farm animals were eaten. Men, women, place where Stubbe “confessed” he hid the belt, “it was not and children were found mauled by a predator. Others simply to be found.” That’s probably because it never existed. disappeared. Witnesses described a large wolf. One girl was very Doubt and Certainty lucky to survive when the wolf seized her by the throat. Her coat protected her from the wolf’s teeth. The cows she was tending Witch and werewolf trials were cruel travesties of justice. then charged the wolf with their horns, chasing it away. There were no real witches to find. They were an imaginary Men grimly hunted the killer wolf with large dogs. Finally threat. Vulnerable people were typically blamed at random they thought they had the wolf surrounded. However, when for things they didn’t do, then tortured until they agreed to they closed in, they found only the farmer Peter Stubbe, impossible stories. Then they were burned at the stake for casually strolling along the road with his walking stick. At first saying things they were forced to say. This nightmare went they were confused. Eventually they decided that Stubbe must on for three centuries. be a werewolf. He was arrested and threatened with torture Superstition was obviously a big part of the problem. using a horrible machine called the rack, which stretched Strangely, a primitive new spirit of science contributed as people by the arms and legs until they were disjointed in well. Indeed, the man most responsible for America’s Salem agonizing pain. Stubbe, “fearing the torture, voluntarily con- witch trials also wrote America’s first popular science book. fessed” to sixteen hideous murders. He claimed the Devil had In those days, almost everyone in Europe and America given him a magical belt that transformed him into a “greedy, agreed that God created the universe and the rules of right devouring wolf, strong and mighty,” with eyes that blazed in and wrong. Everyone also agreed that the Devil was real. the night like fire. Common people thought demons and witches could do any- Before this, Stubbe seemed like a nice person. He was polite thing using magic. Educated “demonologists” weren’t so sure and well liked. According to the tale extracted by his inter- about that. They tried to study the problem—to use reason rogators, however, Stubbe was a depraved maniac “inclined to and evidence to discover which claims about witches made blood and cruelty.” He sense and which didn’t. was just good at hiding They wrote books and it. The court claimed held trials to try to that he routinely smiled get to the truth. For and waved to neighbors evidence, they used he was already planning confessions from to murder. witch trials and pas- He was found guilty sages from the Bible. and sentenced to a truly Such unreliable evi- gruesome death. The dence led to unreliable judge ordered Stubbe conclusions. strapped to a large A small number of wheel. His flesh was extreme skeptics did ripped with red hot pin- dare to think the truth: cers. His arms and legs supernatural witchcraft were broken with a club. The capture, trial, and death of Peter Stubbe simply didn’t exist. One Then he was beheaded. Finally, such skeptic was Reginald Scot. his body was burned for good measure. His head was placed His 1584 book The Discoverie of Witchcraft debunked the on a pole as a warning to other werewolves. harmful nonsense of the witch trials. Scot also argued that it Today, Stubbe is sometimes considered an early example of was impossible to transform humans into animals. Instead, a “serial killer” (a person who commits a series of apparently some confessed werewolves suffered from a “disease” of the pointless murders based on personal compulsions). Was mind. Mental illness deluded these people into false beliefs Stubbe truly guilty? Or was he just some poor guy who that they were “wolves, or such ravening beasts.” happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? We JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) JUNIOR SKEPTIC No.

69 In the Mouth of Madness delusional “werewolves.” In one such case, some men in France came across two wolves devouring the body of young man. They chased the two wolves, and found a filthy beggar named Jacques Roulet cowering in some bushes. The beggar was arrested and tried as a werewolf in 1598. His confessions made very little sense. Some of his confused claims were also proven untrue. Roulet said that the two wolves were really his brother and cousin. However, his brother and cousin were in a far away region at the time of the wolf attack. It seemed clear that Roulet wasn’t in his right mind. He was found guilty, but he wasn’t executed. He was sent to an insane asy- lum for two years instead.

Teen Wolf on Trial In another famous trial in France, a 13-year old boy named Jean Grenier confessed to committing a series of wolf attacks. He claimed that a devilish figure gave him a magical wolfskin that turned him into a wolf. Grenier said that he ate dogs and attacked several children while in this animal form. It seems that no one tortured Grenier to make him say these things. Does that mean his claims were true? The story began when some older teenaged girls were out herding cows. They were discussing a series of wolf attacks in their area. This was a scary topic. One of the girls had re- cently escaped from a wolf herself. That’s when they came across Grenier resting in the field. The redheaded boy was a beggar. He was dirty, homeless, and small for his age. Never- theless, he joined the conversation and tried to impress the older girls. He made boasts and told frightening fibs, eventu- Reginald Scot was correct. Madness certainly did play a role ally claiming that he was a ferocious werewolf. This boasting in some werewolf cases. Over time, judges began to under- turned out to be a bad idea. The girls later told the authorities stand that this was something they should consider. what he had said. Grenier was arrested and put on trial. Scot based his opinion on cases known to doctors. Medi- In court, the boy agreed with everything he was accused of. cine was very primitive in those days, but it was starting to He also added outrageous new claims. He said his father was become more scientific. Doctors began to realize that there also a werewolf. were illnesses that could not be explained using non-scien- tific ancient theories about disease. This had two opposite ef- Grenier was found guilty at first, but the regional govern- fects. If doctors couldn’t explain a disease, witch hunters ment decided to take a second look at the case. They asked supposed that must be evidence that the sickness was caused doctors to examine the boy. The doctors found that Grenier by witchcraft. However, doctors also pointed out cases where was mentally unwell. He wasn’t a monster; he was an abused mentally ill patients believed they transformed into beasts and abandoned runaway whose body and mind were stunted when they very plainly didn’t. In fact, medical cases of this by lack of food. It was only fair to take into account the delusional kind of “lycanthropy” had been known for many “young age and imbecility of this boy, who is so stupid and idi- centuries before the first werewolf trial. otic that children of seven and eight years old normally show more intelligence,” the court decided in 1603. In one werewolf court case, an accused father and son were “all scratched” from going about on all fours in prison. The poor boy was spared death or prison. Instead, he was SKEPTIC No.JUNIOR 32 (1010) The judge observed that one was “so much disfigured…that sent to live in a monastery. The monks cared for Grenier as he bore hardly any resemblance to a man, and struck with best they could, but his sad life never became happier. A judge horror those who looked at him.” These supposed were- later visited the boy at the monastery. He described Grenier wolves behaved like animals, but they did not physically as a shy, dirty, half wild creature who had trouble understand- transform. It’s likely they were severely mentally ill. They ing simple things. Grenier remained delusional; he still were executed anyway. claimed that he had once been a werewolf. He died soon af- terward, at the young age of 20. However, some courts were more merciful toward other

70 The beast of Gévaudan Professional expert wolf hunters were set on the case. Many wolves were killed. One especially large wolf was cele- brated as the Beast itself, dead at last! The hunters became It’s a tragedy of history that hundreds of innocent vulnerable famous heroes. But the danger wasn’t over. Over the next people were blamed for wolf attacks. It was also a tragedy several months, ongoing attacks on shepherds and villagers when people were attacked by wolves in the first place. claimed even more lives. The most deadly wolf monster case of all time began in the Finally, a local hunter named Jean Chastel shot another remote and wild Gévaudan region of France in 1764. Villagers large wolf that was once again thought to be the Beast. At there began to fall prey to some sort of savage animal. At first long last, the killings did come to an end. the attacks were few, but they just kept coming. Over a three In some ways, the Beast of Gévaudan remains an unsolved year period, more than 100 people were killed. Dozens more mystery today. Modern writers continue to speculate that were attacked. Newspapers carried sensational stories about the “monster” could have been an out of place exotic animal “The Beast” across the nation and around the world. Villagers such as a lion escaped from some French nobleman’s private lived in terror. The king sent soldiers to stop the monster. The zoo. However, there is no real evidence to suggest anything soldiers laid traps, and organized thousands of citizen of the sort. In fact, there’s no reason to think there ever was hunters. All of these efforts failed. just one “Beast.” Witnesses reported something like a wolf, but it did not al- The most realistic explanation is that the region just had ways sound like a normal animal. Some said the creature’s some tragically bad years for wolf attacks. It’s likely that eyes glowed red, or that it walked on its hind legs, or that bul- hunger drove a number of wolves to hunt numerous humans lets couldn’t stop it. It could apparently leap huge dis- for food. Eventually, so many wolves were killed during the tances. Many witnesses said it was just too big and hunt for the dreaded Beast that the remaining wolves could too deadly to be a normal wolf. Was it a were- find enough natural prey to survive. wolf? A monstrous hybrid with an exotic lion? Or perhaps a hyena released into the French country- Legends within Legends side? The Beast of Gévaudan saga is often claimed as the origin for a key element of modern werewolf stories. According to some authors, Jean Chastel brought down the Beast using homemade silver bullets. However, this claim simply isn’t true. The silver bullet detail was added to the Gévaudan leg- end later, after modern novels and films made this a standard part of werewolf lore. When we look over the many varied werewolf stories told throughout history, we can find a few tales that hint at mod- ern sounding details. For example, one ancient Roman story mentioned a werewolf transforming in moonlight. Another Medieval story claimed that werewolves transform during certain phases of the Moon. However, these were not stan- dard parts of werewolf belief. In the stories of past centuries, werewolves most often either transformed at will using mag- ical belts or lotions, or they were cursed to remain in wolf form for years at a time. The idea that werewolves transform only during the full Moon was invented for Hollywood hor- ror movies. Monster researcher Blake Smith has shown that the silver bullet idea is equally modern. However, this idea does have roots in older folklore about witches. In a few stories, witches in the form of hares could be injured by a silver but- ton or forced to reveal their true form. This usually wasn’t the case for werewolves. In most old stories, werewolves could be injured by ordinary weapons such as arrows, axes, or swords. In fact, injuries from normal weapons were often an important part of werewolf stories. These injuries re- vealed human characters who were secretly werewolves. JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) JUNIOR SKEPTIC No.

71 Explaining Werewolves 5) “Werewolves were hallucinations caused by ergot poisoning or other drugs.” This is a popular but speculative “rational explanation” for historic werewolf sightings. Ergot While most people today think of werewolves as completely is a fungus that sometimes grows on rye grain. It did some- fictitious creatures like Frankenstein’s monster or Jabba the times did get into bread and cause sickness, including hallu- Hutt, in past centuries it was commonly believed that were- cinations. It’s entirely possible that some strange claims such wolves were a genuine and deadly threat. Some people were as werewolf sightings were caused by ergot, various other thought to be victims of werewolf attacks. Others reported drugs, unusual dream states, or fevers caused by illness. But werewolf sightings. Still others were burned at the stake for hallucinations can take any old form—witches, dragons, the supposed crime of turning into wolves. birds, colors, shapes, you name it. It’s not at all common for How can this history of “real” werewolves be anyone to hallucinate wolfmen in particular. explained? Let’s look at some of the many “ 6) “Werewolves suffered from a disease explanations” that have been suggested over called porphyria.” This rare genetic disease the centuries. can make patients’ skin very senstive to 1) “Some people truly do turn into light. It can also make people appear wolves.” This was a popular magical deformed. Porphyria sufferers may belief in the centuries before sci- slightly resemble vampires, but not ence. Needless to say, there is no werewolves. In any event, the dis- evidence that this can happen. It ease is far too rare to explain either would take a supernatural miracle monster legend. to turn a human into a different 7) “Werewolves had a condi- species of animal. Miracles are tion called hypertrichosis.” A not a scientific concept. There is rare genetic condition nicknamed nothing in science to suggest that “werewolf syndrome” can cause miracles are possible. thick hair to grow all over a per- 2) “Demons create the illu- son’s face and body. People with sion of animal transformation.” this condition do look a lot like the Even witch hunters doubted that modern idea of werewolves. However, people can ever literally turn into this condition is very rare indeed. Also, wolves. Most demonologists shared the there were no werewolf trials where any- religious beliefs that human souls could Rare genetic condition one was suspected because they resembled not exist in animal bodies, and that God nicknamed “werewolf hairy wolfmen. alone had the power to accomplish mir- syndrome” 8) “perhaps werewolves were infected with acles. They argued that animal transfor- rabies.” Some wolf attacks are caused by rabies, but mations must instead be “glamors,” or illusions created by there are no known cases of a person transmitting rabies to demons. This was not a scientific idea either. There is no another person by biting. Also, there are vanishingly few old science-based reason to think that demons exist or that they werewolf tales in which someone becomes a werewolf be- could somehow magically disguise people as hares, cats, or cause they were bitten by another werewolf. The idea that wolves. the werewolf curse is contagious was invented by modern 3) “Werewolves were mentally ill.” It’s a medical fact fiction writers. that a few rare patients suffer from psychological delusions that they are animals or that their bodies transform in im- So What Is the Truth about Werewolves? possible ways. However, “clinical lycanthropy” cases are The modern werewolf legend grew from many centuries much more rare than historical werewolf cases, and the of storytelling and folklore. At its root are two simple truths:

symptoms are not usually a good match for werewolf claims. cultures all over the world have imagined what it might feel SKEPTIC No.JUNIOR 32 (1010) Nevertheless, it’s almost certain that various other types of like to turn into an animal; and, in some places, people have mental illness contributed to some werewolf cases. had to worry that they might be eaten by wolves. 4) “the Beast of Gévaudan, the Werewolf of Bedburg, Ancient and Medieval werewolf stories varied a lot. and other werewolves were really human serial killers.” Werewolves could be good or bad. Then the werewolf idea Thank goodness, serial killers are also very rare. Also, this was combined with fears about witches. Werewolves became suggestion does not match the evidence in most werewolf evil bloodthirsty monsters. Centuries later, fiction writers cases. Most victims were clearly attacked by animals. In adapted these folklore monsters for modern movie audi- many cases witnesses actually saw the animals responsible. ences, adding silver bullets and other new details.

72 JUNIOR SKEPTIC No. 32 (1010) some key sightings…that tookplaceonHalloween night!) around away. andrun (This makes quiteabitofsensefor tacked. Instead, beastsusuallyseemtoturn themystery almost noneclaimthattheywere injured orphysically at- Many witnessessay thecreatures chased them.However, movie werewolves. They often Bibles that’s whatitwas.” the creature was clearlya“werewolf. I’d swear onastackof pointy earsand longsnoutofawolf. Asonewitnessputit, arms andchest.They’re covered hair. inshaggy They have the and frightening, standingsixorsevenfeettallwithmuscular werewolves featured inrecent horror movies. They’re large eyewitnesses. tionwide” from seeminglysincere been “over onehundred reports na- Road.” Godfrey claimsthere have now “BeastofBray sightings ofthisso-called thepeoplewhoclaimedfirst interviewed series ofsightingsnearElkhorn,Wisconsin. She books onthetopic.Shebecameinvolved aftera werewolf sightingssince1991,writingseveral has researched American dogmenor Tracking theDogmen been growing eversince. Michigan Dogman.The legendhas hair-raising encounterswiththe were phoningintoreport theirown ever imagined.Soon,radio listeners it was amore successfulprank thanhe an April Fool’s prank fortheradio”—but completely from my ownimaginationas not togooutatnight. that very year; the song warned listeners 10 years. New appearances were due that thesesinistercreatures appearevery claimed there was anoldlegend on theirhindlegs. The song about “dogmen” thatwalk released aspooky newsong disc jockey namedSteveCook the United States! ern Americans stillreport quiteafewwerewolf sightingsin the werewolf lefttoexamine. mystery It turnsoutthatmod- Case closed?Not quite. There remains of onepuzzlingpart American Wolfmen American Strangely, thesecreatures don’t actmuchlike savage According tothesereports, dogmenlookjustlike the Monster authorLindaGodfrey Cook laterrevealed thathe“made itup In 1987, aMichiganradio appear aggressive, though. the alieninamoviecalled just like thelightbendingcamouflagetechnologyusedby claimed thatthecreature was cloaked intonear-invisibility figures. Bulletsapparently have noeffect.Onemaneven withmysteriousported lights, ghosts, orominoushooded spoke tothemusingtelepathy. Dogmenare sometimesre- creatures’ eyes glowed red. Someclaimedthatthecreatures claims includebizarre supernatural details. Somesaidthe The story getsalotstrangerThe from story there. Many eyewitness

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