Becoming a Werewolf and Metamorphosis Theories

Before the ways someone can become a werewolf are examined, it is important to know that there are two metamorphosis theories concerning werewolves. In other words, there are two different theories as to how werewolves turn into their wolf-forms. They have been labeled the "non-material" and "material" metamorphosis theories:

Theory	Description
Non-Material	This theory is the more popular of the two, as it creates a bigger fear-factor than the material theory. In the non-material theory, a werewolf is forced to change by the light of a full moon. As to whether or not a werewolf needs to be in the light of the full moon in order to change is dependant on the imagination of the storyteller.
Material	This theory requires shapeshifters to have an enchanted belt, garter or wolf-skin that, when worn, transforms the shapeshifters into werewolves. An example of this is book eight of The Saga of the Volsungs in which Sigmund and Sinfjotli steal two wolf-skins from sleeping werewolves and try them on (Saga 44). In order to return to their true forms, Sigmund and Sinfjotli waited in the forest until they were able to remove them -- there is no specification as to how long they waited (45).

When werewolves change into his or her lupine form, there is one seemingly over-looked aspect: what about the clothes that the werewolves wore before shapeshifting? Since werewolves are more beast-like than human, it would be folly to wear an article of clothing that would give away the werewolves' human identities. Thus, sensible werewolves would remove their clothes, not only to give them something to wear when they return to their human forms but to also prevent a non-werewolf from recognizing them (see below for ways this is accomplished). Dramatic werewolves, on the other hand, would shapeshift while wearing their clothes and rip the fabric into pieces. Clothes that werewolves remove prior to shapeshifting turns into stone at the time that they shapeshift according to lore, and then returns to its normal fabric properties when the owner of the clothes returns to them and regains their former shape (Baring-Gould 7).

Changing Back from Wolf-Form

(Skip this if you want to become a permanent werewolf.)

In The Essential Guide to Werewolf Literature, Brian J. Frost describes several ways that a werewolf may return to his or her human form, and each requires human thought to perform. The first way he suggests is for a werewolf to dive into water, or roll in the grass - specifically, the dew. Both of these methods require water, which is the element that shapeshifting is commonly associated with as water takes on the form of the container in which it is placed into.

The second method that Frost suggests is for a werewolf "to kneel in one spot for a hundred years" (Frost 10). This method requires a werewolf to first move to a location that will not be disturbed by any hunters or accidentally stumbled upon. It also requires a werewolf to pick a spot with easy access to food and water within reach, since he or she must be stationary the whole time.

A third theory that is presented by the media in movies is that werewolves automatically change back to their form when the time is up - both when the sun rises, and when they are killed. Please view the "How to Kill a Werewolf" page for more information here.

Now, How to Become a Werewolf:

Werewolves have a vast variety of ways to turn into one. Each method of acquiring the gift/curse has its own advantages and disadvantages. I have rated the following methods in the following categories: Accessability (how easy is it to perform this method?), Discoverability (how easy is it for someone to discover the werewolf’s little secret?), Sensibility (is it even possible?) and Overall. The following methods were taken from Brian J. Frost's The Essential Guide to Werewolf Literature, pages seven to eleven.

Method: Drinking water from a wolf’s pawprint

Type: Non-Material

Description: To turn into a werewolf with this method, find a werewolf’s pawprint that has been filled with rain and drink from it.

Origin: Middle Ages

Marci’s Opinion: Considering the environment of that particular era as well as today’s, this could possibly be one of the unsanitary methods. Plus, this method is pretty ambiguous - how fresh does the wolf’s pawprint have to be? What if someone drinks from a half-wolf’s paw print? What if you drink the rainwater through a straw? How much do you need to drink? Since gravity also pulls water downward, the chance of finding a pawprint with water still in it are pretty slim.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
A person would have to live in an area with wolves in order for this method to work.	The only chance of someone being caught drinking from the ground is if he or she is with someone, or if that particular person just so happens to have bad karma and get interrupted. Since this is a non-material method, acquiring it would have the highest chance of being found out. The only other opportunity to loose the secret is if the person is attacked in wolf’s form, or is seen while changing shape.	Water. From a pawprint. This method is a bit far-fetched, and finding a way to make sure water stays in the pawprint would be difficult, as making a plaster imprint of the paw while shaping it like a bowl can be considered cheating, even though it would make drinking from it easier.	Overall, 2/5 – there’s just too many questions raised by this method to work.

Method: Eating wolf brains.

Type: Material

Description: Self explanatory: eat the brains of a wolf.

Origin: Middle Ages.

Marci’s Opinion: Also called "the zombie method," this is a highly revolting and disgusting method to use to become a werewolf. I believe that the brains are meant to be eaten raw, as it is more feral than cooking it as a "civilized" person would.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
You’d need to get your hands on a wolf - a dead one. That in itself is disgusting not to mention cruel, as wolves are a keystone specie to any ecosystem. A keystone specie is a specie that is few in numbers, but once removed from an area there are drastic changes to the environment. If, say, tigers were suddenly wiped out in Asia, then the deer they hunted would eat all new vegetation in the jungle to the point that only old, tough foliage is left. With wolves, they impact the elk and deer populations and improve the health of the deer and elk's herds by eating the sick and weak. A person seeking to try this method would have to be very desperate to try this, and even then he or she would have to eat grey matter. Uh, ew?	Most people scouring the fur and black markets for wolf pelts and trophy mounts, not brains. A person looking for this ingredient would look suspicious.	Brains. Only the undead that have pieces of themselves falling off all over the place eat this rare delicacy. Someone who tries this method would most likely experience turning into a werewolf while wearing a straightjacket in a small room complete with padding on the walls after becoming swept up in a vehicle with flashing lights when caught in the act.	This method gets a 0/5 – it’s too disgusting to contemplate, as well as giving off too many red flags.

Method: "Sleeping on the ground in an open field on a Friday night when the moon is full" (9)

Type: Non-Material

Description: Self-explanatory - simply go outside (preferably on a clear night) and fall asleep out in a field. It can be assumed that the person who attempts this method cannot bring any human comforts such as a pillow or tent, although the position as to whether or not a person needs to go skyclad is debatable.

Origin: Middle Ages

Marci’s Opinion: Full moons are often associated with werewolves, and in the book Dracula wolves are called "the children of the night," so this method so far makes sense (18) However, I believe that this method is to be used with another method: the werewolf’s bite.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
It’s easy to go outside and fall asleep - if you enjoy the outdoors and have a relatively remote place, as falling asleep in a baseball field in a neighborhood is likely to get curious people wondering if you’re a mis-placed corpse, thus interrupting your night’s sleep.	High if you’re doing this in a neighborhood; low if you’re out in the country.	If a person enjoys the outdoors and the weather is warm, then this method should be looked into by those who wish to become a werewolf. Otherwise, it may just result in an uncomfortable night outside.	Overall, 2/5 - just falling asleep doesn’t sound as if it would do it.

Method: "Drinking from a lycanthropous stream" (9)

Type: Material

Description: Find a lycanthropous stream and drink from it. It can be assumed that the person is to lap out water from this stream in order to be more feral and take on more wolf-like qualities, however it is unknown.

Origin: Middle Ages

Marci’s Opinion: What makes a lycanthropous stream? A stream frequented by werewolves and/or wolves? A stream that has a dead werewolf in it at the bottom? A stream that looks like a ribbon of silver at night? Finding a stream that fits this criteria would be difficult, as it would require asking others about the location of the stream, any odd histories of the streams, and a lot of research to track one down. It would be wise to check upstream with this sort of method, just to be aware of what a soon-to-be werewolf is going to be drinking. Really, you'd have better luck finding a wandering gypsy and asked to be cursed.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
Low if you don’t have a stream like this nearby; high if you do.	If you don’t know of such a stream, a seeker would set off a lot of warnings and may attract unwanted attention because of this.	This method is a bit unsanitary - boiling the water is out of the question, as you may boil away the factor that turns people into werewolves!	Overall, 2/5. Water is associated with shapeshifting, so it would make sense in order to drink it in order to become one.

Method: Wearing certain flowers

Type: Material

Description: There are specific flowers that, when worn, can cause the wearer of them to turn into a werewolf. Wolfsbane is not one of them, as these flowers ward off werewolves.

Origin: Middle Ages

Marci’s Opinion: A flower to induce shape-shifting? It seems as the "certain flowers" would give its wearer more delusions than actually turning them as the legend suggests.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
It’s unknown which flowers make a werewolf - once this is discovered, accessability would depend on a person’s location, the season, and if the nearby flowershop has it in stock.	Low - people may just notice the werewolf in human disguise wearing a flower and think nothing of it.	A flower. There are MUCH better methods out there that sound better than wearing a flower, and sound better when bragged about.	This is ranked at 1/5 - the flower would seem to give off more delusions than be an actual shape-changing item. The advantage of this is a low discovery factor.

Method: Wearing a magical ointment

Type: Material

Description: Simply rub on a special lotion, and turn into a werewolf!

Origin: Unknown

Marci’s Opinion: This method reminds me of the "suntan in a bottle" projects that, in the end, just make the wearer look silly. On the other hand, someone who’s really good at making lotions can create an easy scam by ripping off werewolf fans with a fake product like this that gives the appearance of fur.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
A person would need to find someone who would be willing to make this, as well as having all the ingredients on hand. This sounds like something that the yellowpages and Google won’t be able to help out with.	Along with finding someone to make it, a person might also have to buy the seller's silence along with the product. A person’s word can be bought as well, for the right price...	How fast does the lotion work? If it worked quickly, then a person using this product would have to slather it on their body quickly, as well as be very flexible in order to cover the entire back.	This method is given a 1/5 as it seems difficult to acquire and use. On top of that, unless a person learns to make it, they would have to rely on another person who could quite possibly double-cross them. Learning to make it may sound more appealing, however a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde complex may develop as a result. Use with caution.

Method: Wearing a wolf’s skin/belt/garter

Type:Material

Description: A person can change into a wolf by donning one of these three, magically specified items.

Origin: The Vikings (Beserkers)

Marci’s Opinion: Of all the methods so far, this one sounds plausible - there’s several stories concerning garments that change people into animals, such as the story with the seven swan sisters who had robes made out of swan’s feathers that enabled them to become swans. There is also the magical race called the "selkies" who were seal-women and changed in and out of their forms by donning/discarding a garment made from seal-skin.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
Varies. While getting a wolf’s pelt may be easy to obtain from a crazy hunter, the belt and garter must be made from a wolf’s pelt. Each of these items must also be magically charged.	Unless a person lives with another person who enjoys digging through the shapeshifter's things, or is struck by a robber who accidentally stumbles across one of these items hidden away in their sock drawer, being discovered is low. That is, unless, someone obtains a search warrant and ransacks the place and unearths it. To avoid awkward situations and unwanted questions, it is recommended to hide this item in plain sight.	This method makes sense, considering the amount of other, similar stories of people turning into animals and back again through the use of a garment. A popular example of this is in book eight of The Saga of the Volsungs.	I rate this method at being 4/5, as the only obstacle with this method is acquiring one of these magically-charged garments.

Method: Werewolf’s Bite

Type: Non-Material

Description: Simply get bit by a werewolf.

Origin: Unknown

Marci’s Opinion: The most popular of all werewolf-transformation myths, this bite requires the person wishing to turn into one to first track down a werewolf and entice the werewolf to bite him or her... And only bite, not maim or disembowl. The popular media uses this method the most, as it is the most dramatic.

Accessability:	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall:
This requires tracking down a werewolf, or convincing a friend who’s a werewolf to bite and only bite you.	A few questions may be asked about the latest wound, so creativity is needed to come up with a good enough excuse.	Getting bit is pretty painful - and if werewolf folklore is true, and werewolves have no rationality... Getting just bit and keeping the limb that was just bit may pose some problems.	Overall, this method has many risks. Since it is the most popular, it can be assumed that this method would be the best one that would work, and earns a 4/5.

Method: A Pact with the Devil

Type: Material

Description: Summon the devil and make a deal - it’s not as if you use your soul daily, right?

Origin: Unknown.

Marci’s Opinion: This method, while appearing the most ideal (trading something you don’t use for something you can) has its advantages and disadvantages like the others. One keen question that is raised is the validity and guarantee of the wolf-form you’ll receive in exchange. Will you have control? How long can you wear the form for? How do you get in/out of the form?

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
This requires knowledge in the "heretic" and "dark" arts, as well as a place that a person is the least likely to be interrupted in.	Depends on the length of time it takes to summon the devil, and how much dramatics he/she/it uses when he/she/it appears and how much attention that brings.	Those with religious upbringing and faith may seem horrified at this method. To others, it’s too strange to even consider. Only the serious should attempt this.	Overall, I rate this 2/5. Wolves are seen by many as evil creatures, so it seems fitting that a stereotypical dark force should have control over them. Oh, be sure to read the fine print -- in many stories where someone makes a deal with the devil, the person who signs the contract usually gets cheated because of the nearly invisible print.

Method: Family Curse

Type: Non-Material

Description: Being a werewolf is passed down from generation to generation.

Origin: Unknown.

Marci’s Opinion: This method views being able to change into a wolf as a disease that is hereditary. This is also a popular method, since it is easy to do and useful for modern media screenplay writers to explain why Character X is a werewolf without having to waste some of the film’s budget and film on a flashback sequence.

Accessability	Discoverability	Sensibility	Overall
In order to use this method, your family needs to have a history of this. Marrying into a werewolf-family won’t work, unless you are attempting to try the bite method, in which case you would have easier access to a werewolf.	Slim, unless a member of the family was caught and convicted as a werewolf, in which case the whole family would be either placed under watch or tried as well.	This method seems plausible, providing that being a werewolf is more of an STD than a curse.	This method earns a 2/5, as it is for family-members only.. And even then, it’s for the "special" children who are (un)lucky enough to receive the gene necessary to enable transformation.