The pentacle / Pentagram's multiple purposes in werewolf pop culture.

The pentacle / Pentagram's multiple purposes in werewolf pop culture.

In media over the last century the pentacle / Pentagram has become the multi-purpose symbol with werewolves.

In traditional folklore the pentacle could also ward off or bind demons, djinn, and even vampires (any symbol of faith, if believed in, is supposed to work against vampires.)

A five pointed star made from Rowan twigs bound with red string, red thread, red ribbon, or some other red string-like material, is supposed to also offer protection. The rhyme goes "Rowan twigs, and strings of red, deflect all harm, gossip, and dread." Rowan is another term for Mountain ash, though this protection ward may work with several other kinds of twigs as well.

This is a list of how the five pointed star applies to werewolves in modern pop culture (within the last hundred years or so.)

Note, I mention Pentacle and Pentagram to indicate that the version with and without the ring around the star have been used for these purposes.

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1. In The Wolfman (Original 1941 version) and Dark Shadows (TV series), if a werewolf saw a pentacle on another person (Especially in palm reading) it meant that person would be the next victim of the werewolf OR become a werewolf. Here it's a warning. In The Wolfman it was the pentacle with the ring around it. In Dark Shadows it was the pentagram without the circle.

2. In some werewolf lore a pentacle is somewhere on the body of the werewolf, viewable while in his human form, like a birth mark as a telltale sign of what he is but pop culture tends to replace this with a claw mark scar or bite scar instead as being bitten or clawed by a werewolf (or both) will change you into a werewolf in some media.

3. In The Wolfman (1941) and in Dark Shadows (TV series) wearing a pentacle necklace talisman made of silver will prevent a werewolf from transforming against his will OR (If warn by a regular human) it will protect a potential victim from a werewolf attack, much like a cross warding off a vampire. In The Woflman it's the Pentacle with the circle around it. In Dark Shadows it's the free-floating pentacle (No ring) around it. In An American Werewolf in London a pentacle was drawn (in red) on the interior wall of The Slaughtered Lamb tavern to keep the werewolf out. (This one was without the circle).

The below image is the stylized pentacle created specifically by Universal Studios for their Wolfman franchise with a cute little wolf pup on top of the star. This version is depicted on the Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster in the Dark Universe section of the Epic Universe theme park. A variation of this is also on Lawrence "Larry" Talbot's wolf-head cane in The Wolfman.

It's actually very disrespectful that so many descriptions of the Rougarou say "Like a werewolf." It's alternate name is the Loup-garou. That's literally French for werewolf. The French literally call him "The werewolf." He's not "Like a werewolf." He's a werewolf, he's THE werewolf of the bayou. "But he can take his wolf form at will!" That's actually common in traditional, pre-Wolfman werewolf folklore. "But he's bipedal in his wolf form." So are a lot of werewolves and some look like literal wolves in their lore. "But he can talk in his man-wolf form!" So can the werewolf in Monster Mash (2024 Asylum film), and the werewolf henchman in The Vampire Returns, and the werewolf in Cursed. There's nothing of Rougarou / Loupgarou lore that isn't found in werewolf lore.

End of Cryptozoology rant.

An annoying mistake in Epic Universe

I was watching a Youtube video about Universal's new Epic Universe and there's a shoppe there called "Legends of the Bayou." And there's a thing there about the Rougarou. Much to my annoyance the description said that the Rougarou is not a werewolf "Because the rougarou can change any time he wants instead of just on the full moon." *Sigh.* I hate when misinformation like this is spread. Stephenie Meyer is just as guilty with her "They're not werewolves. They're shapeshifters." And to a lesser extent Underworld with its Lycans are also guilty. First a little history lesson. The oldest known werewolf story is the tale of King Lycaon of Arcadia. According to legend he served human flesh at a feast for Zeus and Zeus was so offended that Zeus turned Lycaon into a wolf. Only his eyes remained human. Over time Lycaon learned how to transform back into a man but when in man-form his eyes were that of a wolf. So he could never be of one world or the other. Over time Lycaon learned how to spread his condition to others so he formed a cult of werewolves. The Underworld word "Lycan" and the older Greek words "Lycanthrope" (meaning werewolf) and "Lycanthropy" (the condition of being or believing one is a werewolf) come from that myth of king Lycaon. These werewolves traditionally were almost entirely immortal where very few things could kill them. And yes, they changed at will. Into the seventeenth century European werewolf lore said that iron could harm them just as it could a faery. But around this time there was a shift in popular culture and in the eighteenth century the first written tales claiming silver is what can harm them. And in eighteenth and nineteenth century Germany the pentacle was believed to ward off evil such as demons. The pentacle (called the Drudenfuss) was hung over doorways to keep out evil entities much the way crosses are used against Dracula in a lot of B movies and in Stoker's novel.

German immigrant, Curt Siodmak, took the vulnerability to silver, the pentacle as a protection ward and warning against evil, and created Universal studio's The Wolf Man.  He popularized the idea that werewolves transform on the full moon. Until The Wolfman, most werewolves were depicted as being able to change whenever they wanted, but were likely to be more animal-like, and losing self-control, during the full moon. Curt Siodmak simplified it. Now fast forward to the American Louisiana Rougarou. The word is an American bastardization of Loup-Garou which is just French for ...werewolf. The irony is the very reason people now claim the Rougarou is "not a werewolf" is because it follows REAL, OLD SCHOOL werewolf folklore! And this is really, really frustrating for me. And Universal studios, the company that MADE The 1941 Wolfman movie written by Curt Siodmak, the man who popularized the idea of werewolves changing on the full moon- they are the ones spreading this misinformation that their werewolf lore is the real "original" werewolf lore and the rougarou... which actually does follow traditional werewolf lore "doesn't count." What the Hell, Universal?!

My sources: The Werewolf Handbook by Dr. Robert Curran Werewolves by Dr. Robert Curran Werewolves by Daniel Cohen Adalbert Kuhn (Nineteenth century Folklorist) The Wolfman (1941 movie)

I absolutely love this. To commemorate Thursday Night's total lunar eclipse / The Crow Blood Moon, Capri Sun (for the first time ever) has released "Moon Punch." It's actually a cherry Punch in glow in the dark packaging. And you can collect all the glow-in-the-dark phases of the moon on the packet.

Not only is it clever, and vaguely magical, it's also educational. You can teach children lunar cycles with their lunch beverage. Too bad it's for a limited time.

Disclaimer: The Full Moon phase Moon Punch Capri Sun may or may not induce Lycanthropic transformation. :-P

Since we have a Blood moon full lunar eclipse in a few days I've been working on a werewolf play list.

Werewolf weaknesses

Two nights ago was the first night of the Full Wolf moon (First full moon of the year). It usually lasts a few days. And Friday is the release of Blum House's Wolf man (More of a remake of The Beast within than the actual Wolf Man story).

So to celebrate here are a list of the actual traditional werewolf weaknesses. Many people forget that werewolves, in folklore, and even in the old Universal monster movies were mostly immortal. Only certain things could actually kill them and they often didn't age.

Also in many lore the werewolf took the form of an actual wolf instead of a bipedal man-wolf. And they could change at will, not just on the full moon, though many were more animal-like and prone to losing control on the full moon.

The oldest known werewolf story is the Greek myth of King Lycaon of Arcadia. Lycaon served human flesh at a feast for Zeus. Zeus was so offended that he turned Lycaon into a wolf, only his eyes remained human. Over time Lycaon learned how to turn himself into a man again at will and back into a wolf at will but while a man his eyes were those of a wolf and while a wolf his eyes were those of a man so he was never truly of one world or the other. He formed his own cult when he learned how to spread what he was to other and this was the origin of lycanthropes (Werewolves) in Greek legend.

A short version of the story can be found in The Werewolf Handback by Dr. Robert Curran (Also called Bob Curran).

Now on to the werewolf weaknesses.

One final thing before I proceed. Many of these weaknesses overlap with vampires. This is because in the nineteenth century there was a common belief that if a werewolf was killed he'd come back as a vampire so there were overlapping weaknesses.

And no, I'm not listing chocolate or most things toxic to real dogs. Now, I'm very tired so please excuse the typos.

Werewolf weaknesses:

1. Silver. Curt Siodmak popularized this weakness in the 1941 movie The Wolf Man Though the weakness was popularized with this movie there are actually some eighteenth century werewolf stories that already had werewolves vulnerable to weapons made of silver. In many works of literature and popular culture silver will also work against a vampire.

2. Cold iron was a common weakness against supernatural threats such as Sidhe (Faeries) and so was also a weakness of werewolves in many traditional folklore. Neil Gaiman used this weakness briefly in The Sandman issue The Hunt. Toward the end of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles she had it that iron restraints or prisons could supress her vampires' psychic powers.

3. Certain woods / plants. This list includes Yew, Hawthorne, Mistletoe, holly, roses, rose wood, and Wolfsbane (which I'll address separately).

4. Wolfsbane is the most common herb against werewolves. In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books a Wolfsbane potion could control a werewolf's more feral side on the full moon. This is one of Rowling's weirdest bits of law since Wolfsbane is a real plant and highly toxic to all mammalian life. It's a deadly neurotoxin with no antidote. Don't feed ANYONE Wolfsbane, werewolf or otherwise. It's a pretty flower also know as Acconite or Monkshood. In Frankenstein meets The Wolfman, Lawrence Talbot, The Wolf Man (who had previously been killed by being beaten with a silver handled cane with a pentacle carved into it) was able to be revived from the dead by removing the wolfsbane that had covered his grave. 5. Fire. Burning a werewolf to ash will usually kill him. In the Auvergne of France there were cases of people actually tried and convicted of werewolfism (deliberately taking wolf form and killing livestock or people) and they were burnt at the stake. This will also work against a vampire.

6. Decapitation will kill a werewolf in many folktales. This may also work against a vampire.

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7. The Pentacle. A five pointed star or a five pointed star within a circle works as effectively on a werewolf as a crucifix does on vampires in the novel Dracula. The pentacle was used against werewolves in The Wolf Man 1941 movie, Dark Shadows (TV series) and An American werewolf in London movie.

The Pentacle has many uses against a werewolf.

A. Wearing a silver pentacle amulet will protect you from a werewolf attack. The symbol can ward off a werewolf. A pentacle drawn on the wall of a building, inside or out, may keep the werewolf from entering, especially without an invitation.

B. According to The Wolf Man and Dark Shadows, a werewolf will see the pentacle somewhere upon the next person they are likely to kill on the full moon. C. If a werewolf wears a pentacle amulet it will prevent them from taking wolf form, especially if the transformation is against their will.

D. In some lore, a werewolf will have a pentacle shaped mark somewhere on their body, whether a scar, weird birth mark, or some other blemish. This is the tell-tale warning that they are a werewolf.

E. In many legends a symbol of faith can protect against supernatural threats. This suggests that for those who have faith in it, a pentacle will be just as effective against vampires as it is against werewolves. This comes up in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files.

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8. Being born on Christmas Day is often considered a warning that you will become a werewolf.

9. Being born feet first and surviving the birth is considered a warning that you will be a werewolf.

10. Having eyebrows that meet is considered a warning you might be a werewolf (or a vampire).

11. Having purple urine is an obscure clue one might be a werewolf.

12. If the middle finger of either or both of your hands is longer than the rest this might be a hint you are a werewolf (Or a vampire. But this seems to be quite common actually.

13. If your ears come to a slight point this might be a clue that someone is a werewolf. (Or a vampire.) 14. Being the seventh son of a seventh son was supposed to mean you were a werewolf (or a vampire). Similarly being the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter was supposed to mean you were a witch. 15. Having hairy palms was supposed to be a sign that someone is either a werewolf or a vampire. 16. Sharp or pointed o fingernails is supposed to be a sign that someone might be a werewolf or a vampire. 17. Being the child of a werewolf will usually mean you are a werewolf. It's not like Monster High where you can be a "half-werewolf." You either are a werewolf or you aren't. It's like having diabetes. You either have it or you don't. There is no "half." In some stories, however, it is only passed to the male descendants, so werewolfism is likely carried by the Y chromosome. _______________________ 18. Calling a werewolf by their true name (not necessarily their birth name but the name they most heavily associate with themselves) will sometimes supposedly make them revert from their wolf form back to human form, especially if this is done by a loved one. So yes, a werewolf can be scolded out of wolf form. 19. Throwing the human clothing of a werewolf at them while they are in human form will supposedly sometimes cause them to revert from wolf to human form. 20. In some stories only someone who truly loves a werewolf has the power to kill the werewolf. 21. In some stories werewolves cannot stomach eating hair or clothing though they sometimes do eat human flesh. 22. If you became a werewolf via bite or scratch from another werewolf, killing that werewolf will remove your werewolfism. 23. Drinking water (particularly rain water) from the paw print of a werewolf is believed to be a way to become a werewolf. This means a werewolf might be vulnerable to being used by someone who wants to become a werewolf without their maker even knowing it. 24. In the UK series and American remake of Being Human, and inAn American werewolf in London and An American werewolf in Paris, werewolves have the power to see ghosts, particularly of their own victims. They can be haunted and driven to madness. So if you're dealing with a werewolf threat, your best weapons are silver, and a pentacle. Good Luck!

So I was browsing Tubi's home screen when a new category appeared. "Werewolf mysteries and thrillers." Well, that's oddly specific. And the had a surprisingly big selection. A few things popped into my head. 1. Tubi is coming up with some very interesting selections. That's like having a roster of "Vampire cooking and dating shows." 2. Wow, Tubi really is starting to know me! Not bad for a free streaming service. Uh, oh. Have they figured out why I never take off a silver pentacle necklace? (Joking... Maybe.) :-P @lamb90 have you been logging into my Tubi account? :-P

Spooky peanut butter werewolf conspiracy theory!

Spooky conspiracy theory.

According to Romanian folklore one way you may become a werewolf is by drinking rain (or any water really) water from a werewolf paw print AKA a werewolf track.

Movies usually only show being bitten or scratched (or both) as a means to become a werewolf or being born one or cursed like Quentin in the TV show Dark Shadows. So a lot of people don't know that drinking water from a werewolf pawprint is another way you might become a werewolf. The series Hemlock Grove acknowledged this method of becoming a werewolf.

Now Reece's has a new Halloween treat out called Werewolf Tracks. It's a half White chocolate / vanilla and half milk chocolate peanut butter cup.

It doesn't sound very werewolfy when you think about it. However these werewolf tracks contain peanut butter. And peanuts are 4% water.

You are drinking water from a werewolf track.

Conclusion: Reece's wants to turn us all into their army of werewolves!

Suddenly the recent Reece's slogan of "Sorry, not sorry." has taken on a whole new and sinister meaning!

Disclaimer: This is not to be taken seriously... or is it? :-P

Tonight is the second night of the Buck Moon. Be sure to check on your werewolf friends, it was a long full moon this month because it actually started around six AM yesterday. 🎃

I just found out about a Faust story I never heard of before. It's a nineteenth century, English language novel called Wagner the Wehr-wolf.

The plot deals with an old man (Wagner) who makes a deal with a Mephisto-like stranger who offers him restored Youth and increased intellect but in exchange he must become a werewolf and be his companion for a year and half.

It turns out the mysterious man making this offer is Faust. (I guess he misses Mephisto).

And Wagner must undergo his werewolf transformation once a month. This might be the earliest English language fictional depiction of a monthly werewolf transformation and it is described as excruciating.

I don't own the novel so I don't know more than that about the plot. There's no Wikipedia page for it, just for the author. George W. M. Reynolds. And the summary there claims Wagner's deal is with The Devil, but The Werewolf's Modern Metamorphosis says it was John Faust (the name the Historic Faust had was Johannus and that's the name Christopher Marlowe used for him. Goethe renamed him Heinrich and Kamelot (the power metal band that did a two album retelling of Goethe's Faust called "Epica" and "The Black Halo") renamed him Ariel.)

In Goathe's version of the Faust story, Wagner was the name of Faust's assistant. In an early German chapter book verison of the Faust legend it's an alias Mephistopheles used.

Many people mistakenly think the 1941 film The wolf Man started the notion of werewolves changing monthly but a lot of what the writer, Curt Siodmak, used came from old Germanic folklore and he just repurposed it- even though most traditional folkloric werewolves looked like actual wolves and could transform at will.

The Oldest known Werewolf Story

It's a full moon. It's the perfect night for a werewolf story. In this case this is the oldest known werewolf story. This is the myth of King Lycaon of Arcadia. Once Upon a time; in Arcadia there was a proud king known as Lycaon who was not very hospitable to guests. Hospitality is something taken very seriously by the Gods. One day a mysterious man showed up at Lycaon's palace and asked for food and shelter. Now, as is common in other pantheons like with the Nordic Odin, it was believed that you should always treat the weary traveler with respect and generosity, because he might be a God in disguise. Lycaon's servants believed this mysterious stranger to be Zeus, himself, the king of the Gods, but Lycaon was unconvinced and thought he was just a ragged beggar. It's even suggested that Lycaon didn't really care if it was Zeus, he had no intention of showing respect. As a cruel act of doubt (or just sadism) Lycaon had human flesh served at the feast set out for the stranger. In some versions of the myth, the flesh was from some of Lycaon's own murdered children. In any event, it turned out the stranger truly was Zeus and this foul act of presenting human meat at the feast offended him. Zeus was so disgusted by Lycaon's actions that he cursed him for all eternity. Lycaon was turned into a wolf. Only his eyes remained human. Lycaon was also blessed or cursed with immortality and over the centuries he learned how to take human form again but while in human form he had the eyes of a wolf just as he had human eyes while in his wolf form. He could never truly be of one world or the other. His home was no where. But Lycaon also learned how to spread what he was to others and he created a cult of what we today call werewolves. It is from King Lycaon that we get the terms Lycanthrope (meaning werewolf), Lycan, and Lycanthropy. Source: Werewolves by Dr. Robert Curran. And The Werewolf Handbook also by Dr. Robert Curran.

Last night was the last night of the full Wolf moon. I hope everyone was careful out there in the cold and minded the silver.

A friendly reminder (I know online "friendly reminders" are usually preachy and not actually friendly) but this is a friendly reminder that the full moon actually lasts roughly three days so you are not quite safe from the Blue Moon Halloween werewolves just yet.