We have written about the werewolves of Ossory before, but after discovering some new information we couldn’t resist writing about them again. There are several stories in particular that frame the majority of Irish folklore regarding werewolves. In Northern Ireland it is said that there were tribes of wolf-men living in the wild that ancient…
Tag: werewolf lore
Legendary Irish Wolf Warriors
All throughout history you can find stories in nearly every country of men that transform into beasts, and ancient Ireland is no different. Ireland is home to stories of ancient warriors known as the Laignach Faelad, warriors that could change their form into that of a savage beast, such as a wolf. Just imagine it,…
Finding Werewolves on ‘Destination Truth’
I just learned of this fantastic show called Destination Truth, which is a bit sad since, well, it’s currently in its fourth season. Bad me. Anyway, the show airs on SyFy and explores a wide variety of myths and legends around the world – from aliens to Bigfoot. But we wouldn’t be here if they…
Bete de Gevaudon
Back in the 1500s and for centuries after, Europe was plagued by the fear of werewolves. Nearly every country reported werewolf sightings, werewolf deaths and so on. But no country has as many werewolf stories as France, which is where today’s tale hales from. The story is that of the Bete de Gevaudon, a creature…
Black Magic and Corpse Breeches
I’ve got quite the treat for you dear readers, an old tale of black magic and wolves. The story hales from Iceland, where items known as “corpse breeches” could help a warlock change his shape into that of a wolf. Corpse breeches (also known as nabrock trousers) were said to be used by ancient Icelandic…
The Werewolf’s Cousin: The Werebear
Many months ago I switched things up a bit and wrote about werefoxes, the werewolf’s “cousin,” and I hadn’t thought about until recently when a reader asked me why I hadn’t covered werebears as well. So thanks to that reader I am adding some more variety to the mix by giving you werewolf fans another…
The Tale of Melion
I’ve got a treat for you today Dear Readers, a werewolf tale that dates back to the 12th century. The author of the story is unknown, but it originated in Picardy some time between 1190 and 1204 and was told across England by traveling bards. The story tells the tale of Melion, a knight at…
Is the Wodewose a Werewolf?
I have quite a few books on the history of werewolves (yaaaay books!) and some of these books mention a creature known as the wodewose (also known as the woodwose). The name refers to either a group of men or outlaws living in the forest, or to a mythical being that has existed deep in…
Moon Myths: Part 2
More moon myths! You guys loved the first edition of Moon Myths, so I am giving you a second post to enjoy. Here are more of the old superstitions surrounding the moon. It was believed that a waning moon was bad luck and that it was a horrible time for births and weddings. It was…
Moon Myths: Part 1
What is the best known myth about the full moon? That it triggers a werewolf’s transformation of course. But that’s not the only moon myth out there, back in day people believed all sorts of strange things about the moon. So today we’re going to take a little break from the werewolf lore and explore…