The Werewolf

In folklore, a werewolf is a human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf. The earliest example of man-to-wolf transformation is found in The Epic of Gilgamesh from around 2,100 BC. The werewolf as we know it first appeared in ancient Greece and Rome. In 425 BC, Greek historian Herodotus described the Neuri, a nomadic tribe who changed into wolf shapes for several days of the year. The werewolf is a widespread concept in European folklore.

Belief in werewolves developed in parallel to the belief in witches. Most modern fiction describes werewolves as vulnerable to silver and highly resistant to injury. These features appeared in German folklore of the 19th century.