Werewolves and Lycanthropy.

From as early as 18th century BC there has been lore about werewolves/lycanthropes. The first know account of a werewolf was in "The Epic of Gilgamesh," when the goddess Ishtar turns one of her lovers, a shepherd into a wolf. "You have loved the shepherd of the flock; he made meal-cake for you day after day, he killed kids for your sake. You struck and turned him into a wolf; now his own herd-boys chase him away, his own hounds worry his flanks."[Gilgamesh, p. 86] Since then werewolves have made their way just about everywhere in modern media. From popular books, to movies, television shows, comic books, video games, and much more. 

Woodcut of a werewolf attack, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1512

In most werewolf lore one becomes a wolf through means of magic, such as a curse, witchcraft, or wearing a magical pelt. Another popular method is being infected by another werewolf, usually by being attacked, through bites and scratches. And a large portion of most stories involve the full moon. The moon causes the afflicted person the ability to transform into the horrible carnivorous creature.

Werewolf transforming under the full moon.

But those are not the only ways, each story usually has it's own twist, it's own unique way of telling how one becomes a wolf. And not every lycanthrope is just a wolf. Lycanthropy can be from almost any animal. I myself have read tons of books that talk of werecats, wererats, weretigers, pandas, swans, and many others.

Weretiger shifting.

Some stories tell of ways to cure lycanthropy, such as using wolfsbane as medicine. Surgery and exorcisms were other methods used for "curing" lycanthropy. Some stories say if you kill the wolf the turned you, you'll be cured. In the Arabic culture, they say striking the beast on the head with a knife, or putting nails through their hands could cure them. While the Danish believe simply scolding the monster like an ill behaved dog does the trick.

  

Scolded dog.

Another popular aspect of werewolves, or lycanthropes is an allergy to silver. Not like sneezing with watery eyes allergic, but full on anaphylactic shock. In many cases silver bullets are said to be one of the only ways to kill a lycan, aside from removal of the head. But honestly, what doesn't beheading kill? 

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this post about werewolves.

Works cited:

Google search engine

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf#Remedies

http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/werewolf1.htm

The Licked Hand...

The Licked Hand, also known, or more commonly known as "Humans can lick too!" is an odd urban legend that I find greatly disturbing. There are many different versions of this particular story all over the internet, my favorite goes a little something like this...

 One night a young girl is left home alone for the first time, the family dog the only thing to keep her company while her parents are away. Feeling a bit spooked being alone she brings the dog to sleep under her bed when she gets ready to go to sleep. Later that night she wakes to the sound of dripping, *Drip, drip, drip*. She reluctantly gets out of bed and sluggishly walks to the nearest faucet, she turns its until it won't budge any farther and wanders back to bed. She lets her hand hang over the edge where her dog can lick it. She feels the dog licking her hand and goes back to sleep, but wakes up to the dripping again soon after. She crawls out of bed and turns off every faucet she can find before going back to bed. Once she's back in bed she lets her hand dangle over the edge yet again. She feels the dog licking her fingers again and falls back asleep. Again her sleep is interrupted by annoying dripping. Frustrated and tired she turns on the light and takes the time to locate the dripping. She discovers the disemboweled body of her dog hanging in the shower, the dripping was it's blood landing in noisy drops on the shower floor. She turns horrified ready to leave the bathroom when she sees a message written on the mirror in what she assumes is the dog's blood "HUMANS CAN LICK TOO!" To afraid to return to her room, she hides in bathroom with her dead dog and waits for her parents return.

Works Cited:
Google search engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Licked_Hand
http://www.scaryforkids.com/humans-can-lick-too/
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/horrors/a/humans_can_lick.htm