by Brown Robert
There are some regional legends, for example, that claim the people of Lou Lan were turned into wolves. Some legends claim the people of Lou Lan were cursed for some affront to the gods. Other stories insist that the Lou Lan inhabitants had always been wolves, but had assumed human form in order to reign over a kingdom. Eventually, these stories assert, the wolves grew tired of humans and returned to their wolf forms, taking their blessings of fertility for the land with them.
Bark vs. Bite
Did the people of Lou Lan really turn into wolves? In all likelihood, the same fate befell Lou Lan that did many other great cities of the ancient world. Too much agriculture coupled with an overconsumption of resources likely destroyed the once-fertile environment surrounding the city. A structurally strong city means very little in a world where people will die if they cannot grow food nearby. With an environment increasingly unable to continue sustaining agriculture and livestock, most of the people likely fled the city in search of greener pastures, so to speak.
The Aswang (Philippines)
As far as mythical creatures are concerned, the Filipino creature known as the Aswang is probably one of the most difficult for which to find a concrete description. This is probably because, in the Philippine language of Tagalog, the term Aswang has come to be used in reference to just about any evil supernatural being. For the most part, pop culture describes the Aswang as a winged, vampirelike creature. However, the original lore of the Aswang tells of one category of these creatures, referred to as “fake beasts” or “false beasts.”
Beastly Words
Aswang is a term in Tagalog, the common language of the Philippines, that refers to an evil supernatural being that feeds upon human flesh. One type of Aswang, the “fake beast,” is known to be an able shapeshifter.
These types of Aswang are actually pure shapeshifters and therianthropes, since they can transform into just about any shape—human, dog, cat, or any other animal. Some lore claims that an Aswang will transform into whatever living being (human included) it first encounters when it sets out for the night. Aswang live mainly on a diet of human flesh. However, they are said to have a great preference for the flesh of pregnant women and infants.
The Werewolf of Banbirpur
On the hot evening of August 16, 1996, a number of children from the village of Banbirpur, India, were going to the bathroom in an earthen toilet just outside the village proper when they claim that an unusually large wolf lunged at them from the nearby brush. The youngest child, a four-year-old boy named Anand, was dragged off screaming into the woods, trapped in the fangs of the beast. The other children returned to their village and frantically reported what had happened to their parents. The local police were notified, and a search party was immediately sent to investigate. After three days of searching, they found nothing but little Anand’s severed head. The rest of his body was never discovered and is thought to have been eaten by the wolf … if it was, in fact, a wolf.
Following this attack, wolf hunts were organized by both villagers and police. However, less than a dozen wolves were ever killed in these hunts (none of which were proven to be man-eaters). To make matters worse, the attacks seemed to continue as time passed. None of the wolves killed seemed to be responsible. Some residents of the area claim that this is because the attacks are not the work of a wolf … but of a werewolf.
According to the eyewitness testimony of the 10-year-old sister of Anand, who saw the wolf that dragged away her little brother, the creature that attacked them pounced forward on all fours (which would be indicative of a wolf). Once the creature grabbed the little boy, however, she claimed that it rose back onto its hind legs and walked in a bipedal fashion (which would not suggest a wolf but a werewolf). She then claimed that the creature threw the boy over its shoulder, took the form of a man, and ran off into the woods. In some of her testimony, however, she claimed that, in its human form, the creature wore a jacket, goggles, and a helmet (which would not suggest a werewolf but a human). Some werewolf enthusiasts claim that what the girl saw was some sort of top secret “werewolf super-soldier.” However, this explanation sounds highly unlikely.
Bark vs. Bite
There are many who believe that reconnaissance soldiers from neighboring Pakistan (a longtime enemy of India) are to blame for the “Banbirpur werewolf killings” that took place over the summer of 1996. This would certainly seem to fit the eyewitness accounts that the human form of the creature wore goggles (perhaps for night vision) and a helmet. During that summer, many men and police patrolled the area with clubs, sticks, and rifles—not looking for wolves (or even werewolves) but for invading troops from Pakistan.
The Layak (Indonesia)
The mythical Layak of Indonesia is a type of therianthrope. As with the Filipino Aswang, definitions of this being vary. Some lore claims that it is an evil spirit that has the ability to shapeshift into the form of a human or animal. The Layak will then use its form to make mischief, wreaking havoc and causing illnesses in the village of its choosing.
Beastly Words
The Layak (also spelled Leyak) is a mythical shapeshifting being in Indonesian lore. Some lore claims that a Layak is an evil spirit, while others claim that a Layak is actually a human witch with dark powers. So the next time you meet a Layak, you should ask it about this.
In other lore, the Layak is said to be a human skilled in the dark arts of poisons and black magic. According to this version of the Layak’s lore, these creatures require the entrails of humans and/or the blood of unborn children for both the executions of their spells and as a source of food.
Some stories claim that, in order to shapeshift, a witch-type of Layak is required to leave its human body and possess the body of the form it wishes to assume. If one is able to find the human body of a Layak while it is not occupying it, then one has a chance to kill it. First, a sharp object must be stabbed upward through its head. Once this has been done, the Layak will be trapped in its alternate body. If it stays out of its human body for a period of time, it is said that the Layak will eventually die.
The O-kami (Japan)
The Japanese word for wolf, O-kami, has a double translation. In general, the word can be used to mean “wolf.” Literally, however, the term means something like “great deity.” This term is not surprising when one considers that the wolf was long revered as a god, O-Guchi no Magami, the “Great-mouthed Pure-Kami,” in the Shinto nature religion of Japan.
Beastly Words
The word O-kami is a combination of the Japanese O-, which means “great” or “superior,” and Kami, which roughly translates as something like “god,” “demigod,” or “deity,” though there is no true English equivalent for this word. O-kami is generally used to mean “wolf.” Literally translated, however, it actually means “great deity.” Shinto is the indigenous nature religion of Japan. For a time, it was the officially recognized state religion.
In later Shinto belief, wolves were said to be the divine messengers of the popular Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. It was even believed that a white wolf was the goddess Amaterasu in physical form. For centuries, wolves were viewed as divine beings and as the friends of humans for a number of reasons. As a result, they were often protected from humans. During some periods of Japanese history, harming or killing a wolf was considered a serious crime, one that could result in strict punishments for perpetrators. (Sometimes this included the death penalty.)
In addition to their religious status, wolves were beneficial to the agricultural environment of Japan. The worst enemies to the livelihoods of Japanese farmers were deer and wild boars. The wolf was the natural predator of both, and farmers would often pray and make sacrifices to the O-kami in order to ask for assistance in the protection of their crops. In areas where farming was a common occupation, it was not uncommon to find shrines and temples dedicated to the O-kami. Unfortunately, however, the noble status of the Japanese wolves eventually came to an end.
By the eighteenth century, Japan had
entered a period now referred to as the Meiji Restoration. This was an era of sudden and extreme modernization for Japan. The reinstated Meiji imperial rulers feared that Japan was too far behind technologically and sought to catch up to the West as quickly as possible. This meant a sudden increase in urbanization, the spread of new technologies, and the creation of railroads. During this period, the O-kami ceased to be viewed as the noble messengers of the Kami or as themselves divine. They now came to be viewed as obstacles to progress, which led the government to portray these animals as vicious, man-eating devils that threatened human existence.
In 1868, bounties began to be offered for dead wolves, and many men started to make their living by hunting the animals down. Widespread, government-organized wolf hunts were held in order to “purify” the land of wolves, and the once-revered animals were now commonly referred to as bakemono, meaning “demons/monsters.”
By th
e end of the nineteenth century, the former wolf lords of Japan were all but extinct. Today, the Japanese wolf is believed to have been wiped out. They have not been seen by anyone for nearly 150 years.
The Savage Truth
To this day, many scientists make camping trips to the mountainous regions of Japan in hopes of finding evidence of wolves. They often bring cameras and listening devices meant to capture the slightest evidence that even a handful of these animals survive. Unfortunately, no such evidence has yet been found.
There are some who still believe, however, that the O-kami wolves were divine beings. There is an obscure legend among the Japanese that the wolves were not wiped out, but just left the earth and returned to the paradise reserved for them by the gods. Some versions of this legend claim that, when the age of men is about to end, the O-kami will return to Japan. They will come to witness the destruction of the human race that once dared to hunt them and will lead those who remember them to a paradise where the earth will once again be reborn.
The Least You Need to Know
• The people of the ancient Chinese city of Lou Lan mysteriously disappeared, and some say they transformed into wolves.
• The Aswang is more a basic shapeshifter than a werewolf or therianthrope, though it is said to at least be able to assume wolf form.
• The Layak of Indonesia may be an evil spirit or human witch, according to lore.
• Japanese wolves were once worshipped in Japan and were later considered the divine messengers of the Shinto deities, called the Kami.
Chapter 5
Relatives of the Werewolf
In This Chapter
• The various African legends regarding the nature of were-hyenas
• The bruxsa/cucubuth, the unique vampire-werewolf hybrid of Portugal
• The significance of were-cats in the consideration of lycanthropy
• Legends regarding the were-lions of Africa
• The many legends about the deadly were-tigers of India and Asia
While the presence of werewolves is widely common in folklore, it is not universal to all parts of the globe. In places where wolves are not a part of the indigenous wildlife, this is especially true—no wolf = no werewolf. However, this doesn’t mean that cultures who do not have werewolves did not create their own unique breeds of similar were-creatures and shapeshifters. From were-hyenas to vampire-werewolves to were-cats, these creatures represent the many diverse and furry relatives of the werewolf.
The Power of the Were-Hyenas
Were-hyenas are most commonly found in Africa, which is not surprising. Hyenas are very common to the wildlife of the continent, so it would appear that they have taken the place of wolves as a canine therianthrope. These African were-hyenas are often referred to by the term bouda (sometimes spelled buda). This term has spread to many African languages and has come to mean “were-hyena” (though its original meaning was probably different).
Many aspects of the African were-hyena legends bear some striking similarities to parts of werewolf lore. For example, the two primary ways for a person to become a were-hyena are either by being bitten (which is the most common) or through the powers of magic. Also, hyenas run in packs the same as wolves. Unlike wolf packs (which are led by male alpha wolves), hyena packs are matriarchal, meaning that their alpha members are females. This has led some to assert that there are more female than male hyenas (though this remains unproven). As a result, many elements of these legends state that tribes who possess were-hyena powers can be identified by the fact that they have more females than males.
Beastly Words
In the animal world, an alpha animal is the animal in charge of a social group (such as a lion pride or wolf pack).
In Borno, a northeastern state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a country located on the western coast of the African continent, there is also a legend about were-hyenas. In the Borno dialects, were-hyenas are not referred to as bouda, but as bultungin, which literally means, “I turn into a hyena.” According to local legends, there were once two tribes in the Borno region that were entirely comprised of were-hyenas.
In the African country of Sudan (located in a northwestern area of the continent), the were-hyena is viewed rather negatively as a monster that stalks the night and preys upon human flesh. This creature, in its Sudanese version at least, is also said to have a special taste for the flesh of lovers. It stalks the night and is happiest when it comes upon a loving couple and can tear them apart. These were-hyenas are said to be identifiable in human form because their bodies remain unusually hairy, they have a reddish-tint to their eyes (or red eyes), and their voices are commonly said to sound a bit off. (Some legends say they sound “nasally,” like a person who speaks through the nose.)
In Ethiopia (which runs along the lower western border of Sudan), all blacksmiths are commonly said to be were-hyenas. In that country, the occupation of blacksmith is widely a hereditary one. The close relationship between blacksmiths and the elements of fire and Earth led people to believe that they possessed magical powers, namely to heal (because they are seen as able to work with fire yet not burn) and shapeshift (because of their apparent ability to change the shapes of things, such as turning a piece of iron into the shape of a tool). While Ethiopian blacksmiths are not necessarily treated badly because of this, they are regarded with a certain amount of suspicion and caution.
Many of the people who brought the knowledge of blacksmithing skills to the lands of Ethiopia were ethnically Jewish. Today, most of the blacksmiths in Ethiopia practice the Jewish religion. As a result, the term “bouda” has also come to be used by some Ethiopian Christians as a generic term for Ethiopian Jews. However, it would appear that, in these particular cases, the term is not always meant to imply that Ethiopian Jews are all “were-hyenas” but that they come from blacksmiths.
Which Came First, the Werewolf or the Vampire?
While in Portuguese a werewolf is referred to as a lobis-homen, they also have another werewolf-related creature—bruxsa. A bruxsa, sometimes also referred to by the term cucubuth, is a creature that has the combined powers of both a werewolf and a vampire.
Most versions of this legend state that a bruxsa is a werewolf who dies but is left under the light of the moon and is thereby resurrected. If the creature is allowed to return to life (or … un-death?), it will possess both werewolf and vampire powers and attributes. Some legends flip the process and claim that a bruxsa is a vampire that dies and, because it is resurrected by the moon, takes on the additional attributes of a werewolf. However, it is possible that a bruxsa can be created in either of these fashions. Nobody really knows, and the bruxsa aren’t really available for comment.
The fact that these creatures are both werewolf and vampire is doubly scary because, according to many of the legends, this means a bruxsa will both drink your blood as well as eat your flesh. The bruxsa are popularly known in Portuguese folklore for having a taste for the warm flesh of children, and it is said they will even eat their own offspring because of this.
Were-cats are sometimes referred to in pop culture as bastets. The word “were-cat” was only coined little over a century ago (though the credit for its creation frequently varies from one source to another). Bastet, also spelled Bast, was originally the name of a feline-headed goddess from the mythic pantheon of the ancient Egyptians.
Were-cats are similar to werewolves in that they are often said to be humans who possess the power to change into animal form. However, much unlike werewolves, were-cats transform into large (often predatory) cats or into a form that more resembles a human-cat hybrid. Interestingly enough, were-cats are almost entirely absent from the folklores of Europe.
Perhaps the were-cats became wary of the region, at some point, because of all the werewolves?
Were-Lions of Africa
African folklore is full of legends about were-lions. Since the lion is a very significant member of the continent’s wildlife, this would stand to reason. Much like the negative European view of the werewolf, African were-lions are primarily seen as evil. The African were-lion is usually an evil sorcerer who assumes the shape of a lion to commit terrible deeds against humans (such as eating people). Were-lions also played a part in the recent history of at least one African region.