Wolfsbane

This is the place for discussion and voting on various aspects of werewolf life, social ideas, physical appearance, etc. Also a place to vote on how a werewolf should look.
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Post by Silverclaw »

What do the old myths say about wolfsbane and its affect on werewolves?
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Post by Shadow Wulf »

I think its suppose to be like a werewolf suppresant like in Ginger Snap 2.
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Post by Apokryltaros »

No, it wasn't used to "supress" werewolves like in Gingersnaps.
European legends either said that it repelled werewolves, as wolfsbane was sometimes used to poison wolves, or it helped people turn into werewolves, ala black magic ointments.
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Post by Jamie »

Nearly all the references to wolfsbane having some effect on werewolves that I've seen have been in fiction or in nonfiction books with a New Age or occult slant. I don't think that wolfsbane had anything more than a tiny, minor role in werewolf folklore (I've seen far more folkloric references to werewolves being repelled/affected by other substances such as several kinds of wood, diamonds, steps and so on). Furthermore, recipes for various magical ointments are often suspect because we are often lacking in documented information as to whether these ointments were actually used very often, and for what purpose (i.e. we often have to rely on tortured confessions and weird theologists).

I agree that I'd rather not see wolfsbane in this film. If nothing else, we don't want impressionable kiddies eating wolfsbane or feeding it to their neighbors in an attempt to become werewolves or to get rid of nearby suspected werewolves.
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Post by Scott Gardener »

I agree about its relative obscurity. In fact, I seldom see it referred to as "wolvesbane" except in pop lore. Usually it's aconite.
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Post by Rhuen »

As I recall Wolfsbane had no connection with werewolves in folklore and was introduced in Universal Studios movie the Wolfman because of the name of the herb, when the wolfsbane blooms even a man who says his prayers by night can become a wolf, or something like that.

No folklore connection exists, while simular plants were used to ward off evil spirits and vampires.
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Re: Wolfsbane

Post by AngryGothChick »

In the Ginger Snaps series,Monkshood is used to slow down the transformation process.But,it doesn't cure the werewolf.I don't think there is an actual cure in werewolf movies,except shooting the werewolf with a silver bullet (Of course,Hollywood's method.But then again,the Gigner Snaps series proves them wrong a few times)
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