
Delve into a sweeping survey of the were‑wolf myth, where ancient scholars, medieval chroniclers and 19th‑century investigators converge. The work opens with a personal encounter at a stone circle in France, setting the tone for a meticulous examination of how societies have defined and feared the shape‑shifting creature. From Virgil and Ovid to Norse sagas and Balkan folklore, each chapter gathers legends, legal testimonies and medical musings, revealing a tapestry of belief that stretches across continents and centuries.
Beyond storytelling, the author probes the psychological and natural explanations once offered for lycanthropy, weighing cruelty, hallucination and cultural symbolism. Detailed accounts of court trials, curious customs and even exotic transformation tales from India to Abyssinia illustrate how deeply the were‑wolf has haunted human imagination. Readers will come away with a richer understanding of why this beast continues to rove through myth, law and the human mind.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (310K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-03-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1834–1924
A Victorian clergyman and scholar with wonderfully wide interests, he wrote everything from hymns and saints' lives to folklore, ghost stories, and regional travel books. He is still widely remembered for the hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers" and for collecting traditional songs of Devon and Cornwall.
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