What could be spookier than coming face to face with a werewolf? These mythical creatures maintain a human form, except during a full moon when they transform into large, bloodthirsty wolves that hunt by the moon’s glow. It’s a legend that’s been retold for generations, giving the werewolf lore many variations.
In some versions of werewolf stories, lycanthropy is a disease that’s transmitted to humans when they’re bitten or scratched by a werewolf in its wolf form. Other lore tells of lycanthropy being genetically passed down a family’s bloodline. It’s these werewolves that are generally accepting of their dual nature, while the former type may be portrayed as more reluctant to transition during the full moon. Regardless, many werewolves retain no memory of the terror they cause as a wolf once they transform back into their human form.
Just as important as the werewolves in these tales is giving the humans a method of killing the beasts in defense of their families and villages. Most werewolf lore maintains that they are tough to kill while in wolf form, because of both their strength and the magical properties that sometimes accompany the creatures. And while werewolves can be killed by decapitation or fire, the most common method of killing a werewolf is to shoot it in the heart with a silver bullet.
In fact, silver is a common ward against evil throughout mythology and its representations. Silver has been fictionally used to kill many types of creatures and monsters, but using it against werewolves is the most universally accepted trope.
The reasoning behind using silver as an Achilles’ Heel for werewolves varies from story to story. Some legends tell of silver poisoning a werewolf’s blood, and shooting one in the heart with a silver bullet being the fastest way to contaminate the bloodstream. In other legends, lycanthropy is a bloodborne virus that silver can kill or cure due its antibiotic properties. Silver has also been attributed to the moon for thousands of years, which may be another reason for why it affects creatures of the moon.
Fortunately, these are just stories and we don’t need to carry silver bullets during the full moon for protection. But werewolf fans may still wish to invest in silver bullets to commemorate their love of the lore. The 2 oz Silver Bullet is perfect for your collection of werewolf memorabilia.
The werewolf is just one of many spooky creatures that pops up around Halloween. What’s your favorite monster or spooky legend?
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