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The Book of Were-Wolves
by Sabine Baring-Gould, 1865
This full length classic werewolf reference
book is presented courtesy of MythologyWeb.
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CHAPTER III
THE WERE-WOLF IN THE NORTH
In Norway and Iceland certain men were said to be eigi
einhamir, not of one skin, an idea which had its roots in
paganism. The full form of this strange superstition was that
men could take upon them other bodies and the natures of those
beings whose bodies they assumed. The second adopted shape was
called by the same name as the original shape, hamr, and the
expression made use of to designate the transition from one body
to another was at skipta hömum, or at hamaz;
whilst the expedition made in the second form, was the hamför.
By this transfiguration extraordinary powers were acquired; the
natural strength of the individual was doubled or quadrupled;
he acquired the strength of the beast in whose body he travelled,
in addition to his own, and a man thus invigorated was called
hamrammr.
The manner in which the change was effected varied. At times
a dress of skin was cast over the body and at once the transformation
was complete; at others, the human body was deserted and the
soul entered the second form, leaving the first body in a cataleptic
state, to all appearances dead. The second hamr was either
borrowed or created for the purpose. There was yet a third manner
of producing this effect -- it was by incantation, but then the
form of the individual remained unaltered, though the eyes of
all beholders were charmed so that they could only perceive him
under the selected form.
Having assumed some bestial shape, the man who is eigi
einhammr is only to be recognized by his eyes, which
by no power can be changed. He then pursues his course, follows
the instincts of the beast whose body he has taken, yet without
quenching his own intelligence. He is able to do what the body
of the animal can do, and do what he, as man, can do as well.
He may fly or swim if he is in the shape of bird or fish. If
he has taken the form of a wolf, or if he goes on a gandreid, or wolf's-ride, he is full of the rage
and malignity of the creatures whose powers and passions he has
assumed.
I will give a few instances of each of the three methods of
changing bodies mentioned above.
Freyja and Frigg had their falcon dresses in which they visited
different regions of the earth, and Loki is said to have borrowed
these, and to have then appeared so precisely like a falcon that
he would have escaped detection but for the malicious twinkle
of his eyes.
In the Voelundar kvida is the following passage:
I.
From the south flew the maidens
Athwart the gloom,
Alvit the young,
To fix destinies;
They on the sea-strand
Sat them to rest,
These damsels of the south
Fair linen spun.
II.
One of them took
Egil to press,
Fair maid, in her
Dazzling arms.
Another was Svanhwit,
Who wore swan feathers;
And the third,
Their sister,
Pressed the white
Neck of Voelund.
The introduction of Soemund tells us that these charming young
ladies were caught when they had laid their swan-skins beside
them on the shore and were consequently not in a condition to
fly.
In like manner werewolves' dresses used. The following curious
passage is from the wild saga of the Völsungs::
It is now to be told that Sigmund thought Sinfjötli too
young to help him in his revenge, and he wished first to test
his powers; so during the summer they plunged deep into the wood
and slew men for their goods, and Sigmund saw that he was quite
of the Völsung stock ....
Now it fell out that as they went through the forest, collecting
monies, that they lighted on a house in which were two men sleeping
with great gold rings on them. They had dealings with witchcraft,
for wolf-skins hung up in the house above them. It was the tenth
day on which they might come out of their second state. They
were kings' sons. Sigmund and Sinfjötli got into the habits
and could not get out of them again, and the nature of the original
beasts came over them, and they howled as wolves -- they learned
both of them to howl.
Now they went into the forest, and each took his own course.
They made the agreement together that they should try their strength
against as many as seven men, but not more, and that he who was
ware of strife should utter his wolf's howl. "Do not fail
in this," said Sigmund, "for you are young and daring,
and men would be glad to chase you."
Now each went his own course. After they had parted Sigmund
found men, so he howled. And when Sinfjötli heard that,
he ran up and slew them all -- then they separated. And Sinfjötli
had not been long in the wood before he met with eleven men;
he fell upon them and slew them every one. Then he was tired,
so he flung himself under an oak to rest. Up came Sigmund who
said, "Why did you not call out?" Sinfjötli replied,
"What was the need of asking for help to kill eleven men?"
Sigmund flew at him and rent him so that he fell, for he had
bitten through his throat. That day they could not leave their
wolf-forms. Sigmund laid him on his back and bare him home to
the hall, and sat beside him, and said, "Deuce take the
wolf-forms!"
--Völsunga Saga, c. 8
There is another curious story of a were-wolf in the same
Saga which I must relate.
Now he did as she requested and hewed down a great piece of
timber and cast it across the feet of those ten brothers seated
in a row, in the forest; and there they sat all that day and
on 'til night. And at midnight there came an old she-wolf out
of the forest to them, as they sat in the stocks, and she was
both huge and grimly. Now she fell upon one of them and bit him
to death, and after she had eaten him all up, she went away.
And next morning Signy sent a trusted man to her brothers to
know how it had fared with them. when he returned he told her
of the death of the one, and that grieved her much, for she feared
it might fare thus with them all and she would be unable to assist
them.
In short, nine nights following came the she-wolf at midnight
and devoured them one after another 'til all were dead, except
Sigmund, and he was left alone. So when the tenth night came,
Signy sent her trusted man to Sigmund, her brother, with honey
in his hand and said that he was to smear it over the face of
Sigmund and to fill his mouth with it. Now he went to Sigmund
and did as he was bid, after which he returned home. And during
the night came the same she-wolf, as was her wont, and reckoned
to devour him, like his brothers.
Now she snuffed at him where the honey was smeared and began
to lick his face with her tongue, and presently thrust her tongue
into his mouth. He bore it ill, and bit into the tongue of the
she-wolf. She sprang up and tried to break loose, setting her
feet against the stock, so as to snap it asunder, but he held
firm and ripped the tongue out by the roots so that it was the
death of the wolf. It is the opinion of some men that this beast
was the mother of King Siggeir, and that she had taken this form
upon her through devilry and witchcraft.
-- Völsunga Saga, c. 5
There is another story bearing on the subject in the Hrolfs
Saga Kraka, which is pretty; it is as follows:
In the north of Norway in upland-dales reigned a king called
Hring, and he had a son named Björn. Now it fell out that
the queen died, much lamented by the king and by all. The people
advised him to marry again, and so he sent men south to get him
a wife.
A gale and fierce storm fell upon them, so that they came
north to Finnmark, where they spent the winter. One day they
went inland and came to a house in which sat too beautiful women
who greeted them well, and inquired from whence they had come.
They replied by giving an account of their journey and their
errand and then asked the women who they were and why they were
alone and far from the haunts of men, although they were so comely
and engaging. The elder replied that her name was Ingibjorg and
that her daughter was called Hvit, and that she was the Finn
king's sweetheart. The messengers decided that they would return
home, if Hvit would come with them and marry King Hring.
She agreed, and they took her with them and met the king who
was pleased with her, and had his wedding feast made, and said
that he cared not though she was not rich. But the king was very
old, and that the queen soon found out.
There was a Carle who had a farm not far from the king's dwelling.
He had a wife, and a daughter who was but a child. Her name was
Bera, and she was very young and lovely. Björn the king's
son and Bera the Carle's daughter were wont, as children, to
play together, and they loved each other well. The Carle was
well to do, he had been out harrying in his young days, and he
was a doughty champion. Björn and Bera loved each other
more and more, and they were often together.
Time passed, and nothing worth relating occurred. But Björn,
the king's son, waxed strong and tall, and he was well skilled
in all manly exercises.
King Hring was often absent for long, harrying foreign shores,
and Hvit remained at home and governed the land. She was not
liked by the people. She was always very pleasant with Björn,
but he cared little for her. It fell out once that the King Hring
went abroad, and he spake with his queen that Björn should
remain at home with her to assist in the government, for he thought
it advisable, the queen being haughty and inflated with pride.
The king told his son Björn that he was to remain at
home and rule the land with the queen. Björn replied that
he disliked the plan, and that he had no love for the queen,
but the king was inflexible and left the land with a great following.
Björn walked home after his conversation with the king and
went up to his place, ill-pleased and red as blood. The queen
came to speak with him, and to cheer him, and spake friendly
with with him, but he bade her to be off. She obeyed him that
time. She often came to talk with him and said how much pleasanter
it was for them to be together than to have an old fellow like
Hring in the house.
Björn resented this speech and struck her a box in the
ear and bade her depart, and he spurned her from him. She replied
that this was ill-done to drive and thrust her away: and "You
think it better, Björn, to sweetheart a Carle's daughter
than to have my love and favour, a fine piece of condescension
and a disgrace it is to you! But, before long, something will
stand in the way of your fancy and your folly." The she
struck at him with a wolf-skin glove and said that he should
become a rabid and grim wild bear; and "You shall eat nothing
but your father's sheep, which you shall slay for your food,
and never shall you leave this state."
After that, Björn disappeared, and none knew what had
become of him; and men sought but found him not, as was to be
expected. We must now relate how that the king's sheep were slaughtered,
half a score at a time, and it was all the work of a grey bear,
both huge and grimly.
One evening it chanced that the Carle's daughter saw this
savage bear coming towards her, looking tenderly at her, and
she fancied that she recognized the eyes of Björn, the king's
son, so she made a slight attempt to escape; then the beast retreated,
but she followed it 'til she came to a cave.
Now when she entered the cave there stood before her a man
who greeted Bera, the Carle's daughter; and she recognized him,
for he was Björn, Hring's son. Overjoyed were they to meet.
So they were together in the cave awhile, for she would not part
from him when she had the chance of being with him; but he said
that this was not proper that she should be there by him, for
by day he was a beast and by night a man.
Hring returned from his harrying, and he was told the news
of what had taken place during his absence; how that Björn,
his son, had vanished, and also, how that a monstrous beast was
up the country and was destroying his flocks. The queen urged
the king to have the beast slain, but he delayed awhile.
One night, as Bera and Björn were together, he said to
her: "Methinks to-morrow will be the day of my death, for
they will come out to hunt me down. But for myself I care not,
for it is little pleasure to live with this charm upon me, and
my only comfort is that we are together; but now our union must
be broken. I will give you the ring which is under my left hand.
You will see the troop hunters to-morrow coming to seek me; and
when I am dead go to the king, and ask him to give you what is
under the beast's left front leg. He will consent."
He spoke to her of many other things, 'til the bear's form
stole over him, and he went forth a bear. She followed him and
saw that a great body of hunters had come over the mountain ridges,
and had a number of dogs with them. The bear rushed away from
the cavern, but the dogs and the king's men came upon him, and
there was a desperate struggle. He wearied many men before he
was brought to bay, and had slain all the dogs. But now they
made a ring about him, and he ranged around it, but could see
no means of escape, so he turned to where the king stood, and
he seized a man who stood next him, and rent him asunder; then
was the bear so exhausted that he cast upon him and slew him.
The Carle's daughter saw this, and she went up to the king, and
said, "Sire! Wilt thou grant me that which is under the
bear's left fore- shoulder?" The king consented. By this
time his men had nearly flayed the bear; Bera went up and plucked
away the ring and kept it, but none saw what she took, nor had
they looked for anything. The king asked her who she was, and
she gave a name, but not her true name.
The king now went home, and Bera was in his company. The queen
was very joyous, and treated her well, and asked who she was,
but Bera answered as before.
The queen now made a great feast, and had the bear's flesh
cooked for the banquet. The Carle's daughter was in the bower
of the queen, and could not escape, for the queen had a suspicion
who she was. Then she came to Bera with a dish, quite unexpectedly,
and on it was bear's flesh, and she bade Bera eat it. She would
not do so. "Here is a marvel!" said the queen; "You
reject the offer which a queen herself designs to make to you."
She bit before her, and she ate of that bite; the queen cut another
piece, and looked into her mouth; she saw that one little grain
of the bite had gone down, but Bera spat out all the rest from
her mouth, and she said she would take no more, though she were
tortured or killed.
"Maybe you have had sufficient," said the queen,
and she laughed.
--(Hrolfs Saga Kraka, c. 24-27, condensed.)
In the Faroëse song of Finnur hin fridi, we have the
following verse:
When this peril Finn saw,
That witchcraft did him harm,
Then he changed himself into a were-wolf:
He slew many thus.
The following is from the second Kvida of Helga Hundingsbana
(stroph. 31):
May the blade bite,
Which thou brandishest
Only on thyself,
when it Chimes on thy head.
Then avenged will be
The death of Helgi,
When thou, as a wolf,
Wanderest in the woods,
Knowing nor fortune
Nor any pleasure,
Haying no meat,
Save rivings of corpses.
In all these cases the change is of the form: we shall now
come to instances in which the person who is changed has a double
shape, and the soul animates one after the other.
The Ynglinga Saga (c. 7) says of Odin, that "he changed
form; the bodies lay as though sleeping or dead, but he was a
bird or a beast, a fish, or a woman, and went in a twinkling
to far distant lands, doing his own or other people's business."
In like manner the Danish king Harold sent a warlock to Iceland
in the form of a whale, whilst his body lay stiff and stark at
home. The already quoted Saga of Hrolf Krake gives us another
example, where Bödvar Bjarki, in the shape of a huge bear,
fights desperately with the enemy, which has surrounded the hall
of his king, whilst his human body lies drunkenly beside the
embers within.
In the Vatnsdæla Saga, there is a curious account of
three Finns, who were shut up in a hut for three nights, and
ordered by Ingimund, a Norwegian chief, to visit Iceland and
inform him of the lie of the country, where he was to settle.
Their bodies became rigid, and they sent their souls the errand,
and, on their awaking at the end of three days, gave an accurate
description of the Vatnsdal, in which Ingimund was eventually
to establish himself. But the Saga does not relate whether these
Finns projected their souls into the bodies of birds or beasts.
The third manner of transformation mentioned was that in which
the individual was not changed himself, but the eyes of others
were bewitched so that they could not detect him, but saw him
only under a certain form. Of this there are several examples
in the Sagas; as, for instance, in the Hromundar Saga Greypsonar,
and in the Fostbrædra Saga. But I will translate the most
curious, which is that of Odd, Katla's son, in the Eyrbyggja
Saga. (c. 20.)
"Geirrid, housewife in Mafvahlid, sent word into Bolstad,
that she was ware of the fact that Odd, Katla's son, had hewn
off Aud's hand.
"Now when Thorarinn and Arnkell heard that, they rode
from home with twelve men. They spent the night in Mafvahlid,
and rode on next morning to Holt: and Odd was the only man in
the house.
"Katla sat on the high seat spinning yarn, and she bade
Odd sit beside her; also, she bade her women sit each in her
place, and hold their tongues. 'For,' said she, 'I shall do all
the talking.' Now when Arnkell and his company arrived, they
walked straight in, and when they came into the chamber, Katla
greeted Arnkell, and asked the news. He replied that there was
none, and he inquired after Odd. Katla said that he had gone
to Breidavik. 'We shall ransack the house though,' quoth Arnkell.
'Be it so,' replied Katla, and she ordered a girl to carry a
light before them, and unlock the different parts of the house.
All they saw was Katla spinning yarn off her distaff. Now they
search the house, but find no Odd, so they depart. But when they
had gone a little way from the garth, Arnkell stood still and
said: 'How know we but that Katla has hoodwinked us, and that
the distaff in her hand was nothing more than Odd.' 'Not impossible!'
said Thorarinn; 'let us turn back.' They did so; and when those
at Holt raw that they were returning, Katla said to her maids,
'Sit still in your places, Odd and I shall go out.'
"Now as they approached the door, she went into the porch,
and began to comb and clip the hair of her son Odd. Arnkell came
to the door and saw where Katla was, and she seemed to be stroking
her goat, and disentangling its mane and beard and smoothing
its wool. So he and his men went into the house, but found not
Odd. Katla's distaff lay against the bench, so they thought that
it could not have been Odd, and they went away. However, when
they had come near the spot where they had turned before, Arnkell
said, 'Think you not that Odd may have been in the goat's form?'
'There is no saying,' replied Thorarinn; 'but if we turn back
we will lay hands on Katla.' 'We can try our luck again,' quoth
Arnkell; 'and see what comes of it.' So they returned.
"Now when they were seen on their way back, Katla bade
Odd follow her; and she lea him to the ash-heap, and told him
to lie there and not to stir on any account. But when Arnkell,
and his men came to the farm, they rushed into the chamber, and
saw Katla seated in her place, spinning. She greeted them and
said that their visits followed with rapidity. Arnkell replied
that what she said was true. His comrades took the distaff and
cut it in twain. 'Come now!' said Katla, 'you cannot say, when
you get home, that you have done nothing, for you have chopped
up my distaff.' Then Arnkell and the rest hunted high and low
for Odd, but could not find him; indeed they saw nothing living
about the place, beside a boar-pig which lay under the ash-heap,
so they went away once more.
"Well, when they got half-way to Mafvahlid, came Geirrid
to meet them, with her workmen. 'They had not gone the right
way to work in seeking Odd,' she said, 'but she would help them.'
So they turned back again. Geirrid had a blue cloak on her. Now
when the party was seen and reported to Katla, and it was said
that they were thirteen in number, and one had on a coloured
dress, Katla exclaimed, 'That troll Geirrid is come! I shall
not be able to throw a glamour over their eyes any more.' She
started up from her place and lifted the cushion of the seat,
and there was a hole and a cavity beneath: into this she thrust
Odd, clapped the cushion over him, and sat down, saying she felt
sick at heart.
"Now when they came into the room, there were small greetings.
Geirrid cast of her the cloak and went up to Katla, and took
the seal-skin bag which she had in her hand, and drew it over
the head of Katla.* Then Geirrid bade them break up the seat.
They did so, and found Odd. Him they took and carried to Buland's
head, where they hanged him .... But Katla they stoned to death
under the headland."
[* A precaution against the "evil eye." Compare
Gisla Saga Surssonnar, p. 34. Laxdæla Saga,
cc. 37, 38.]
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