Werewolves
A German tale translated by D.L. Ashliman
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A soldier related the following story, which is said to have happened to
his grandfather. The latter, the grandfather, had gone into the forest
to cut wood with a kinsman and a third man. People suspected that there
was something not quite right about this third man, although no one
could say exactly what it was.
The three finished their work and were tired, whereupon the third man suggested that they sleep a little. And that is what they did. They all laid down on the ground, but the grandfather only pretended to sleep, keeping his eyes open a crack. The third man looked around to see if the others were asleep, and when he believed this to be so, he took off his belt (or, as others tell the story, put on a belt) and turned into a wolf. However, such a werewolf does not look exactly like a natural wolf, but somewhat different. Then he ran to a nearby meadow where a young foal was grazing, attacked it, and ate it, including skin and hair. Afterward he returned, put his belt back on (or took it off), and laid down, as before, in human form. A little later they all got up together and made their way toward home. Just as they reached the town gate, the third man complained that he had a stomachache. The grandfather secretly whispered in his ear: "That I can well believe, for someone who has a horse, complete with skin and hair, in his belly." The third man replied: "If you had said that to me in the forest, you would not be saying it to me now." Source: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Deutsche Sagen, (1816/1818), no. 214. |
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