Episode 134: Dark Fae: Werewolves

The folklore of werewolves in a nutshell, translated to Afrikaans, and how I reimagined it for my writing.

Written and narrated by Ronel Janse van Vuuren.

Copyright 2024 Ronel Janse van Vuuren — All rights reserved.

Learn more about werewolves in folklore here.

Get the transcript here.

Learn more about the author and her writing here.

Music: Secrets by David Fesliyan (FesliyanStudios.com) and Dramatic Heartbeat by FesliyanStudios.com

Transcript

You’re listening to the Faeries and Folklore podcast by Ronel.

I’m dark fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren. With over a decade of digging around in dusty folklore books, researching creatures of imagination that ignited my curiosity, I’m here to share the folklore in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing in an origin of the fae.

This is the Faeries and Folklore podcast.

Hi, I’m your host Ronel Janse van Vuuren. You can just call me Ronel. In today’s episode, we’re continuing our exploration of the fae realm.

This episode is brought to you by my Dark Court Sisters book series. Available in ebook, paperback and audiobook. Three sisters. Three destinies. Three ways to destroy the world. Go to ronelthemythmaker.com/darkcourtsistersseries for more.

You can now support my time in producing the podcast (researching, writing and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion. Go to buymeacoffee.com/ronel to support me.

We’re continuing our exploration of Dark Fae.

Today’s Faery: Werewolf

Folklore in a Nutshell by Ronel

In folklore, we find three types of werewolves: those who choose to become werewolves by use of magic, potions, or other kinds of sorcery; those who are cursed to be become werewolves either by malicious foes or because they did something horrific like eating a child; and those who become werewolves through rituals meant to enhance their strength, speed, and understanding of the natural world either as warriors or as healers.

We find the willing werewolf a lot in Eastern Europe and Germany, in tales where girdles – usually made of human flesh – is used to turn the person into a wolf. Sometimes, they use potions and lotions to achieve the same effect.

The cursed werewolf, or unwilling werewolf, is found as early as Greek mythology where Lycean offered a meal which involved human flesh to Zeus and others and was cursed by the god he offended to become a wolf. That’s where we get the term “lycanthrope” to describe this condition from.

As for the third type, which is sometimes seen as not a true transformation, rather a spiritual animal companion idea, comes from shamanism in various countries, including early Norse traditions of the berserkers who worshipped Odin.

Many tales involving werewolves, especially during the Inquisition and witch trials across Europe, involved men who did horrific things – like eating children. These men, as women were only seen as witches seduced by Satan, were seen as less than those who were persecuting them and thus they were called “werewolves”. It is thought that the accused were actually violent serial killers, some perhaps mentally ill, and not true werewolves.

The word “werewolf” comes from the Old English “wer” which means “man” and “wolf”, thus “man-wolf”. This in itself shows that it was thought that only men were capable of turning into werewolves.

Folktales about werewolves are about bloodthirsty creatures who mostly attack livestock, and in some cases, children. These monsters are usually those who choose to become werewolves. Though there are tales of those who are tricked or cursed into the state, who must struggle against the bloodthirsty nature of the wolf who overtakes them – or, perhaps, it is a struggle against the bloodthirsty monster within which feels freed once in animal form.

People have tried to rationalise werewolves as mass hallucinations, food poisoning, someone suffering from rabies or another disease. But whether through drugs or genetics, werewolves and the belief in them can be found all over the world.

And now for my interpretation of the fae in an Origin of the Fae: Werewolf

Two kinds.

The first kind fully turn into wolves. They hunt and destroy Vampires. Their venom is toxic to the undead. They cannot turn others into wolves – they are born with the gene. Witches cursed several bloodlines to be wolves if they kill any living being. They also instantly get a mortal enemy in Vampires. They turn on the full moon.

The second kind of werewolf can turn at any time. They get claws and furry faces and bright eyes. Emotion triggers the transformation. So does the full moon. They turn others by biting humans. Not all survive the bite. They are constantly fighting other packs over territory.

Both kinds are susceptible to injury by silver.

Mortal enemies:

Type 1 – Vampires.

Type 2 – Hunters from the Council (sees them as evil rats that need to be exterminated)

As a little bonus, let’s look at this faery translated to Afrikaans: weerwolf.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this episode of the faeries and folklore podcast and that you’ve learned something new about faeries.

Remember that you can get a transcript of this episode in the description. If you’re new to the podcast, why not go and grab your free copy of Unseen, the second book in the Faery Tales series, on my website ronelthemythmaker.com? Loads of folklore, magic and danger await! Take care!

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You can now support my time in producing the podcast (researching, writing and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.

You can now own the backlist seasons as audiobooks. All proceeds go to hosting the podcast. Exclusively available from Ronel’s store.