The wolf strap

 

In legends from central Europe, especially in countries like Germany and Poland, it was believed that someone could become a werewolf by wearing a special girdle or belt. This was called a Wolf Strap. It was a magical garment, but also cursed. Whoever owned it wouldn't be able to get rid of it, no matter how. Those who accepted a magical wolf strap would be connected in body and soul to the dark forces, including the Devil. 

A witch could turn a bride and groom into wolves at the wedding feast by leaving a wolf strap, human flesh and wolf pelts. Dressed in furs would encourage them to transform willingly. Wolf straps were potent more so if made from wolves or hanged men! But the wearer would be more successful changing into a wolf properly if they were a witch and were the ones who made the strap! 

Here is a quote from A. Wuttke Der Deutsche Volks und Aberglaube der Gegenwart (1920):

“People (men, women, even boys) change, mostly just for several hours, into wolves by wearing a wolfbelt on the naked body (sometimes also on clothes). [this belt is made of] wolf’s leather or human skin, especially the skin of a hanged man, often adorned with the zodiac, and with seven tongues on the buckle [which must be put] into the ninth hole; if they want to return to their human form, they open the buckle.” 

Wolf Girl Night

      

Lycanthrope tricks of Transdanubia

There are many ways of turning into a werewolf, and some I've already mentioned on posts before. There is another method found in the folklore of Transdanubia, a region in Hungary, the country of Bela Lugosi, Harry Houdini, and the infamous Countess Bathory, who was said to have bathed in the blood of virgins to keep herself beautiful. Nestled in the Alps, between rivers such as Danube, Drava and Mura, Trandanubia is believed to be full of werewolf legends. 

It was always believed that a werewolf has been cursed, either since infancy or as a child. It could happen to boys and girls. This werewolf growing baby would've been mistreated and neglected by parents because of the curse, so by the age of seven, the child would experience transformation into a wolf and run off into the wilderness. Most of the times the werewolf curse isn't always on children but can be given to adults. It can happen when a man and woman passes through an arch of a birch tree up to three times, while holding wild roses, or even wearing these flowers.

Wolf Girl Night

The wolf feast

 

One of the many interesting wolf traditions used to involve the Wolf Feast. A long time ago during the Middle Ages in places like Serbia, during Yuletime and Christmas, people left food outside their houses to invite wolves to join them at the celebration feast! Food for the wolves from feasts were also placed at the crossroads. Doorsteps and crossroads were believed to be haunted by spirits of the dead. 

A lot of Serbian traditions involve wolves, such as when a baby was born, the father would stand on the doorstep and make the announcement, saying "A she-wolf has given birth to a wolf cub!" Then the mother would sometimes sing a lullaby that says "Sleep my child, my wolf, a she-wolf gave birth to you in the mountain." 

People in Serbia wore amulets in the shape of wolves to protect them from evil. They believed that when a person dies, they become a wolf.  In Serbia wolves have always been respected among people there. So it was believed that they would become wolves after they died, while also spending their lives offering wolf feasts, wearing wolf amulets and making wolf chants.

Wolf Girl Night