Vrykolakas
Description
Restless dead who return bloated to knock on doors, killing those who answer
Origin & Background
The word vrykolakas is derived from the Bulgarian върколак (vǎrkolak). This term means werewolf in Slavic mythology and is found in other Slavic languages as well. Originally meaning 'werewolf', it still retains that meaning in modern Slavic languages. However, the same word (vukodlak) is used in Croatian and Montenegrin folklore to mean 'vampire', while the term 'vampire' is more commonly used in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Bulgaria. The two concepts seem to be somewhat mixed. In Bulgaria, the original folklore describes vǎrkolak as a subspecies of vampire that does not have wolf characteristics.
The Legend
In Greek tradition, it was believed that a person could become a vrykolakas if they lived a blasphemous life after death, were excommunicated, buried in unholy ground, or ate the meat of a sheep injured by a wolf or werewolf. The corpse of a vrykolakas has characteristics similar to vampires in Balkan folklore, being non-decaying, swollen, and taking on a 'drum-like' shape. Vrykolakas is generally considered a harmful entity, engaging in activities such as wandering away from the grave, performing poltergeist-like actions, or causing epidemics in the community. The vrykolakas knocks on the doors of houses and calls out the names of the residents; if there is no response, it passes by without harm, but if responded to, it will cause death a few days later, turning into another vrykolakas.
In Popular Culture
During World War II, belief in vrykolakas was still prevalent in Greece, particularly pronounced in rural areas. During the famine of 1941-42, many people had to bury their loved ones outside of cemeteries as graves overflowed. It was believed that those buried in unholy ground would return as vrykolakas, causing great distress for families who could not bury their loved ones in church cemeteries. As a result, some families took preventive measures, such as beheading the corpse, to prevent their loved ones from becoming a vrykolakas.
This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Vrykolakas" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia
Abilities
- 불명