CONTENTS

The Book of Were-Wolves, by Sabine Baring-Gould, [1865], at sacred-texts.com

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 Kvœda--Instances from the Völsung Saga--Hrolf's Saga--Kraka--Faroëse Poem--Helga Kvida--Vatnsdæla 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--'Me 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 Were-wolf--Cannibalism in Scotland--The Angus Robber--The Carle of Perth--French Superstitions--Norwegian Traditions--Danish Tales of Were-wolves--Holstein Stories--The Werewolf 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 Waterspout--The Legend of Typhoeus--Allegorizing of the Effects of a Hurricane--Anthropomorphosis--The Cirrus Cloud, a Heavenly Swan--Urvaci--The Storm-cloud a Daemon--Vritra and Rakschasas--Story of a Brahmin and a Rakschasas 153

CHAPTER XI

THE MARÉCHAL DE REZT I: THE INVESTIGATION OF 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 REZT 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 of--The Discovery made by the Publican of Polomyja--Swiatek locked up--Brought to Dabkow--Commits suicide 238

Chapter XV

ANOMALOUS CASE--THE HUMAN HYENA

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--The Sermon--Remarks 261