The Origin of the Werewolf SuperstitionStewart, Caroline Taylor
History
The Origin of the Werewolf Superstition
Stewart, Caroline Taylor
Werewolves
b) With growth of supernaturalism came probably the development
mentioned by Meringer, Indog. Forsch., 1904, XVI. 165, about
the conferring of secret names, since one could harm a person
by his name alone, and could summon a foe merely by mentioning
his name: “Wenn man den Wolf nennt, kommt er g’rennt.” Again
in XXI. 313 fol.: It was dangerous to name _bear_ or _wolf_
in regions infested by these animals, so people, out of fear,
avoided calling the name of such animals; called the bear for
example _honey-eater_, etc.
c) Finally, when man could better cope with animal foes, his
fear of them disappeared, the elements of fearlessness and
humor enter in, and such names arise as are mentioned in note
53; and such stories as that of Romulus and Remus, suckled by a
wolf.
[112] Outlaws. The notion of werewolves (see Grimm, Teutonic
Mythology, III. 1095) also gets mixed up with that of outlaws
who have fled to the woods. A notable instance is that of
Sigmund and Sinfjötli in the Völsungasaga. In regard to this W.
Golther, Handbuch der germanischen mythologie, Leipzig 1895,
p. 102, says: “Die Sage mag auf einem alten Misverständniss
beruhen. _Warg_, _Wolf_ hiess der Geächtete in der germanischen
Rechtssprache. _Warg_ wurde wörtlich als _Wolf_ verstanden,
und so bildete sich die Werwolfsgeschichte.” Golther again, p.
424:—“Gefesselt wurde Loki als Ächter in den Wald getrieben,
er wurde “_Warg_”, d. h. _Wolf_. _Wölfe_ heissen die friedlosen
Waldgänger.” As to _warg_, Schade in his altdeutsches
Wörterbuch defines it as a räuberisch würgendes wütendes Wesen,
Mensch von roher verbrecherischer Denk- und Handlungsweise,
geächteter Verbrecher, ausgestossener Missetäter; _warg_ ist
Benennung des Wolfes, in der Rechtssprache ein treu- und
vertragbrüchiger Mensch, vogelfreier Mann, der den Frieden
durch Mord gebrochen und landflüchtig geworden, oder nun im
wilden Walde gleich dem Raubtiere haust und wie der Wolf
ungestraft erlegt werden darf; im jetzigen Gebrauche auf Island
Bezeichnung einer gewalttätigen Person. Similarly, J. Grimm,
Gesch. d. d. Spr. p. 233. For customs amongst the American
Indians relating to the outlaw see Ethn. Rep. 1879-80, p. 67
fol.: An outlaw is one who by his crimes has placed himself
without the protection of his clan, is not defended in case he
is injured by another. When the sentence of outlawry has been
declared, for example among the Wyandots, it is the duty of
the chief of the Wolf clan to make known the decision of the
council.... In outlawry of the highest degree it is the duty
of any member of the tribe who may meet the offender to kill
him like an animal. Page 60 fol.: “The chief of the Wolf gens
is the herald and the sheriff of the tribe” (see also Ethn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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