Witches and Werewolves

In the West the ideas of witches and werewolves go back to at least the eighth century BC. Witchcraft was considered a part of the religious practices of ancient Greece and other Near Eastern cultures. Witches, like priests and priestesses, called upon the gods and other supernatural beings, cast spells and foretold the future. Some witchcraft, such as that used in religious rites, was seen as useful to the ruler and people of a city or territory. Other practices, such as potions and drugging one’s personal enemies, were considered harmful. People who were thought to be witches practicing this sort of magic could be tried and executed.

While we like to think werewolves are a twentieth century invention involving handsome actors and beautiful women, this is also a concept from Greek mythology. We think of a werewolf as a human under an evil spell who turns into a flesh eating wolf during a full moon. In Greek mythology King Lycaon of Arcadia sacrificed a child to Zeus as a test to see if the god knew the difference between human and animal flesh. An enraged Zeus turned the man into a wolf.

The stories about witches and werewolves cover numerous centuries. They are many and varied. If you are interested, there are many engaging sources to read where you can learn more. It is also wise to pay attention to local folklore.

These concepts of witches and werewolves frequently catch the imaginations of children as well as of those adults and older children trying to scare younger children. The idea of werewolves never really…