Leprechauns

Leprechauns are mythical creatures of Irish folklore. They are generally male, aged, dwarfish, and drunken. With a knack for making and repairing shoes, the sound of a tap, tap, tap-like a tiny cobbler's hammer-can signify their presence.

If you're lucky enough to catch one of these magical, jokester creatures, he will be happy to grant you three wishes in return for his freedom. Most people are said to ask for knowledge on the whereabouts of the leprechaun's pot of gold. The riches are usually said to be at the end of a rainbow.

Most creatures of fairy tales like these are far from what we've come to expect from Disney. These fables were often used to scare children-and maybe some adults-into behaving themselves. In the case of leprechauns, listeners and readers are cautioned against "get rich quick" schemes and informed of the dangers of stealing from others.

Leprechauns can be seen throughout pop culture as well. Falling in line with the creep factor of these tiny magical beings is the 1993 movie, Leprechaun. It stars Jennifer Aniston and features a tale of a serial killer leprechaun. On a much lighter note, there's a different kind of cereal, Lucky Charms. I've got a box or two in my house right now. After all, they're magically delicious!

What do you think of leprechauns? Are there any tales you can come up with?

The Vampire Infliction

If you know me or you've read my blog, you know that not only do I love vampires, I also study the myths and legends surrounding them.  Every now and then, I turn to a book I have called THE VAMPIRE ENCYCLOPEDIA by Matthew Bunson.  The book is filled with all sorts of interesting little tidbits and lore on my favorite type of monster.

In his book, Bunson presents a list of traits that have been said to lead a person to become a vampire.  Keep in mind, the vampires of legend and lore are generally considered to be fearsome monsters, not the sexy seductive creatures that are so prevalent in today's horror genre.  Also, most lore - being based off of the beliefs of people long gone - often seems to be outdated with regards to today's knowledge of science.  Bunson says:

"Becoming a Vampire

Methods by which a person can become an undead, as documented from traditions and customs of folklore.

Predispositions

Birth:

• Born at certain times of the year (new moon, holy days)
• Born with a red caul, with teeth, or with an extra nipple
• Born with excess hair, with a red birthmark, or with two hearts

Conceived on a holy day
Weaned too early
Suckled after weaning
Born the seventh son of a seventh son
Death without baptism
Received a curse
Mother did not eat enough salt during pregnancy
Mother stared at by a vampire while pregnant

Actions in Life Leading to Vampiric Transformation

Committing suicide
Practicing sorcery or witchcraft
Eating sheep killed by a wolf
Leading an immoral life, i.e., prostitutes, murderers, and treacherous barmaids
Saying a mass while in a state of mortal sin (for priests)
Being a werewolf

Death or After-Death Causes

Death at the hands of a vampire
Wind from the Russian Steppe blowing on the corpse
Having a cat or other animal jump or fly over the corpse
Having a shadow fall on the corpse
No burial or improper burial rites
Death by violence or murder
Murder that is unrevenged
Having a candle passed over the corpse
Having one's brother sleepwalk
Death by drowning
Stealing the ropes used to bury a corpse
Being buried face up in the grave (in parts of Romania)"

Today, this list seems a bit over-the-top.  Pretty much anyone could be a vampire with all of these superstitions.  But it is a list made up of the beliefs of people from various cultures throughout history.  I find the information to be very interesting.  How about you?

Werewolves

I must admit, when I first came up with the topic of this blog, I was not too excited about it.  As anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows, my monster of choice is definitely a vampire.  Werewolves are NOT my cup of tea!  But duty to the world of writing overcame me and I proceeded to do a little research.  Some of what I found out has intrigued me, and I intend to share that information with you here.

The myths and stories surrounding werewolves originated in Europe.  Many of today's ideas seem to be heavily influenced by German Paganism.

Belief in werewolves seems to be non-existent before the 14th century.  Werewolf superstitions seem to have arose along side the rising popularity of Christianity.  Once Christianity became the norm, transforming into a wolf - or other beast - was seen as a Pagan belief and thus associated with the Devil.

Werewolves also have a strong tie to the European witch trials, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries.  Once the witch trials subsided, werewolves became extremely popular within folklore and helped bolster the Gothic horror genre. 

There have also been medical explanations given for the belief in werewolves.  I have found four medical conditions associated with werewolves:

• Congenital Porphyria (symptoms are photosensitivity, reddish teeth and psychosis)
• Hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth - hereditary condition)
• Downs Syndrome (I didn't find much info here, just that some scholars have linked the two together) 
• Rabies (remarkable similarities - supports idea of being bitten by a wolf and becoming a werewolf)

Just as with myths of vampires, a person could go on for days - or longer - explaining all there is to know of werewolves.  The above are just a few of the things that stood out to me.  Do you know of any other information that you think is interesting and wasn't mentioned in this blog?