The Book of Werewolves By Sabine Baring Gould
The Book of Werewolves is a work of non-fiction by Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould. It was first published in 1865 and is arguably the most in-depth investigation in the history of werewolves ever undertaken.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Introductory
Chapter 2 – Lycanthropy Among The Ancients
- Definition of Lycanthropy
- Marcellus Sidetes
- Virgil
- Herodotus
- Ovid
- Pliny
- Agriopas
- Story from Petronius
- Arcadian Legends
- Explanation offered
Chapter 3 – The Were-Wolf in the North
- Norse Traditions
- Manner in which the Change was effected
- Vœlundar Kvœda
- Instances from the Völsung Saga
- Hrolf’s Saga
- Kraka
- Faroëse Poem
- Helga Kvida
- Vatnsdæla Saga
- Eyrbyggja Saga
Chapter 4 – The Origin of the Scandinavian Were-Wolf
- Advantage of the Study of Norse Literature
- Bear and Wolf-skin Dresses
- The Berserkir
- Their Rage
- The Story of Thorir
- Passages from the Aigla
- The Evening Wolf
- Skallagrim and his Son
- Derivation of the Words Hamr and Vargr
- Laws affecting Outlaws
- “To become a Boar”
- Recapitulation
Chapter 5 – The Were-Wolf in the Middle-Ages
- Stories from Olaus Magnus of Livonian Were-wolves
- Story from Bishop Majolus
- Story of Albertus Pericofcius
- Similar occurrence at Prague
- Saint Patrick
- Strange incident related by John of Nüremberg
- Bisclaveret
- Courland Were-wolves
- Pierre Vidal
- Pavian Lycanthropist
- Bodin’s Stories
- Forestus’ Account of a Lycanthropist
- Neapolitan Were-wolf
Chapter 6 – A Chamber of Horrors
- Pierre Bourgot and Michel Verdung
- ‘Me Hermit of S. Bonnot
- The Gandillon Family
- Thievenne Paget
- The Tailor of Châlons
- Roulet
Chapter 7 – Jean Grenier
- On the Sand-dunes
- A Wolf attacks Marguerite Poirier
- Jean Grenier brought to Trial
- His Confessions
- Charges of Cannibalism proved
- His Sentence
- Behaviour in the Monastery
- Visit of Del’ancre
Chapter 8 – Folk-Lore Relating to Were-Wolves
- Barrenness of English Folk-Lore
- Devonshire Traditions
- Derivation of Were-wolf
- Cannibalism in Scotland
- The Angus Robber
- The Carle of Perth
- French Superstitions
- Norwegian Traditions
- Danish Tales of Were-wolves
- Holstein Stories
- The Werewolf in the Netherlands
- Among the Greeks; the Serbs; the White Russians; the Poles; the Russians
- A Russian Receipt for becoming a Were-wolf
- The Bohemian Vlkodlak
- Armenian Story
- Indian Tales
- Abyssinian Budas
- American Transformation Tales
- A Slovakian Household Tale
- Similar Greek, Béarnais, and Icelandic Tales
Chapter 9 – Natural Causes of Lycanthropy
- Innate Cruelty
- Its Three Forms
- Dumollard
- Andreas Bichel
- A Dutch Priest
- Other instances of Inherent Cruelty
- Cruelty united to Refinement
- A Hungarian Bather in Blood
- Suddenness with which the Passion is developed
- Cannibalism; in pregnant Women; in Maniacs
- Hallucination; how Produced
- Salves
- The Story of Lucius
- Self-deception
Chapter 10 – Mythological Origin of the Were-Wolf Myth
- Metempsychosis
- Sympathy between Men and Beasts
- Finnbog and the Bear
- Osage and the Beaver
- The Connexion of Soul and Body
- Buddism
- Case of Mr. Holloway
- Popular ideas concerning the Body
- The derivation of the German Leichnam
- Feather Dresses
- Transmigration of Souls
- A Basque Story
- Story from the Pantschatantra
- Savage ideas regarding Natural Phenomena
- Thunder, Lightning, and Cloud
- The origin of the Dragon
- John of Bromton’s Dragon a Waterspout
- The Legend of Typhoeus
- Allegorizing of the Effects of a Hurricane
- Anthropomorphosis
- The Cirrus Cloud, a Heavenly Swan
- Urvaci
- The Storm-cloud a Daemon
- Vritra and Rakschasas
- Story of a Brahmin and a Rakschasas
Chapter 11 – The Maréchal de Retz—1: The Investigation of Charges
- Introduction
- History of Gilles de Laval
- The Castle of Machecoul
- Surrender of the Marshal
- Examination of Witnesses
- Letter of De Retz
- The Duke of Brittany reluctant to move
- The Bishop of Nantes
Chapter 12 – The Maréchal de Retz—2: The Trial
- The Appearance of the Marshal
- Pierre de l’Hospital
- The Requisition
- The Trial adjourned
- Meeting of the Marshal and his Servants
- The Confession of Henriet
- Pontou persuaded to confess all
- The adjourned Trial not hurried on
- The hesitation of the Duke of Brittany
Chapter 13 – The Maréchal de Retz—3: The Sentence and Execution
- The Adjourned Trial
- The Marshal Confesses
- The Case Handed Over to the Ecclesiastical Tribunal
- Prompt Steps Taken by the Bishop
- The Sentence
- Ratified by the Secular Court
- The Execution
Chapter 14 – A Galician Were-Wolf
- The Inhabitants of Austrian Galicia
- The Hamlet of Polomyja
- Summer Evening in the Forest
- The Beggar Swiatek
- A Girl disappears
- A School-boy vanishes
- A Servant-girl lost
- Another Boy carried off
- The Discovery made by the Publican of Polomyja
- Swiatek locked up
- Brought to Dabkow
- Commits suicide
Chapter 15 – Anomalous Case—The Human Hyaena
- Ghouls
- Story from Fornari
- Quotation from Apuleius
- Incident mentioned by Marcassus
- Cemeteries of Paris violated
- Discovery of Violator
- Confession of M. Bertrand
Chapter 16 – A Sermon on Were-Wolves
- The discourses of Dr. Johann Geiler
- The Sermon—Remarks