bloodthirsty, hunger and bloodlust
Thanks to today’s date – 10.10.10 – we’re bringing you a top 10 list, because really, what day is better than today? After thousands of years of history, the vampire has earned itself countless well-known legends and when you mix in the stereotypes created by the entertainment world you have even more. Many folks have …
I’m back again for the second edition of Blood Myths! Woot! I’m bringing you guys even more old superstitions about vampire’s favorite food source – blood. If you missed the first part of Blood Myths then go read it now, or I’ll bite you (and not in the fun way)! On to the superstitions! Hungarian …
Some of you may remember the vervain post I did last year after seeing it in The Vampire Diaries, well, it turns out that there is much more to this herb than I thought. Yes, it has ties to vampire in folklore, but that’s not all. Check out all of the other superstitions surrounding vervain. …
Vampires are best known for their insatiable love for blood. If you take a look at the ancient legends surrounding the undead, nearly all of them feature a bloodthirsty vampire. But, not every old myth about blood is also about vampires. Which is what brings you today’s post. Over at Werewolves.com I wrote about moon …
Many of the Scandinavian tales of the dead come from monks who were descendants of Norwegians who had colonized the cold landscape centuries ago. Some of the monk’s ancient stories feature the returning dead. Thanks to them I bring you the legend of one nasty Norse vampire, the draugr. Early Vikings believed that the spirits …
The bruxsa are a feared species of vampire found in Portugal. This bloodsucker was usually a woman who became a vampire through witchcraft. That’s right, more witchy vampire goodness! The bruxsa are considered vampires due to their love for drinking children’s blood. When she’s not feeding on children, she likes to torment travelers. Like the …
Vampire lore time! You see, every country in the world has its own vampire myth and legends; they have their own vampire species that people once believed in completely. Back in the day, the ustrel was one kind of vampire the Bulgarians were fearful of. The bloodthirsty ustrel was thought to be the returned spirit …
Russia is absolutely full of folklore and history of all kinds, but most importantly, it has myths about our beloved bloodsuckers. Russian vampires share many similarities with other vampire species in Europe, particularly the countries nearby, but here’s a look at two vampire species found in Russia. Eretica: This horrifying vamp was often associated with …
Every country has its own vampire myths, its own vampire species and one country with some of my all time favorite vampire legends is Albania. Due to being in the Balkans, with Yugoslavia to the north and Greece to the south, Albania has been susceptible to the cultural influences of the other Balkan states, which …
A kind of psychic vampire, the tikoloshe (or tokoloshe) is a creature of the Xhosa people of Lisotho and the southernmost African plains. Like many supernatural beings in Africa, the tikoloshe is a mixture of vampire and demon, and has a strong association with witches and sorcerers. In many Xhosa legends the tikoloshe is a …
In Welsh folklore the Gwrach y Rhibyn was something between a fairy, a warning and a vampire. She was usually seen at crossroads in the form of an old hag, weaving and bobbing on her tattered shawl, as if waiting to attack someone that passed by. At other times though, she was spotted besides rivers …
Dating back 6,000 years ago is what is believed to be the first recorded vampire – the edimmu of Mesopotamia (also known as the ekimmu). This angry and violent victim of an improper burial not only drank the blood of those that passed by, but would also suck them dry of their life force as …
Today I bring you a vampire tale from G. Willoughby-Meade, a man that documented China’s folktales (like the Grimm brothers did in Europe) in his book, Chinese Ghouls and Goblins. Our terrifying tale begins with a man named Liu, who was a tutor staying at another’s residence far from his native home. He was granted …
What does a vampire feed on? Blood. Simple answer right? Well, not so much. Does a being really need to drink blood before they are considered a vampire? Or is it the act of taking anything part of a victim’s body that makes one a vampire? Take psychic vampires for example, they do not feed …
It was a rainy day in Richmond, Virginia when the urban legend of The Richmond Vampire was born. If you live in the area then you already know the tale, if not… On October 2, 1925 C&O locomotive #231, operated by engineer, Tom Mason, was heading into Richmond to pass through Church Hill Tunnel. The …
One of the earliest beings to show some serious vampire-like characteristics is the ancient lamia, a usually female or hermaphroditic demon that prowled the night looking for tasty humans. She’s described as having the head and breasts of a woman, but the lower body of a snake. Her favorite snack was sleeping babies whom she …
Time again for another blood drenched trip into the world of vampire mythology! Today’s undead of choice is the vjesci, a species of vampire found in Polish lore. According to the legends a person was doomed to become a vjesci if they were born with caul (a thin, filmy piece of membrane that sticks to …
In nearly every book of vampire folklore I have ever read, each mentions the Irish goblin the Redcap. While the redcap isn’t exactly a vampire, many like to call it the vampire’s “cousin” due to its need for blood in order to survive, like a vampire. A redcap is a sickly thin goblin found in …
The beautiful country of Greece is one of the great vampire countries, the home of many undead. Greece has an abundance of vampire lore and myths, all of which have been well documented throughout time. Greek undead date all the way to the ancient world, with such wicked creatures as the lamia, empusa, ephialtae and …
The tlahuelpuchi is a vampiric witch that hales from Mexico. This vampire may appear normal at first, since it lives with its human family, but looks can be deceiving. The tlahuelpuchi not only sucks blood from infants, but it also has the power to shapeshift into various forms. You can spot this vamp in its …