It’s time again for more delicious little bits of vampire information. Another handful of totally random vampire info, covering ancient lore to new and modern facts. If you missed it, check out part one here.
Nosferatu: This word doesn’t mean “not dead” like many believe; it actually means “plague-carrier.”
Blackthorn: Traditionally a powerful protection against vampires and vampiric attack. Among the Romanians the plant was considered so useful they sewed it into clothing.
Willem Dafoe: This brilliant actor has played in at least 4 vampire movies so far (Daybreakers, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, Shadow of the Vampire, The Hunger).
Alucard: Dracula’s name spelled backwards. This novelty was first used in the 1943 movie Son of Dracula, starring Lon Chaney Jr. This name was used so often that its very appearance in a film created either a campy atmosphere or unintentional humor.
Flies: In some places there is a belief about these insects, that vampires can transform themselves into flies, an idea stressing the evil nature of the vampire and its ties to Satan, or Beelzebub, lord of the flies. The Russians made sure that when cremating a vampire all insects that flew out of the fire were captured and burned, to avoid the start of a new vampire cycle.
Tar: Crosses painted with tar on the front door of homes was said to keep vampires out of your house.
Liver: An organ used back in the day to figure out if a person was a vampire or not. A vamp’s liver is said to be white in color, instead of the normal reddish brown. It is also said that witches’ livers have the same coloring, as do women whose husbands died suspiciously. The belief may have come from the custom of throwing bodies into rivers to see if they would float. Livers that are exposed to fresh water are said to turn white; examinations of such corpses would reveal whitened livers and thus provide a useful proof for vampire hunters.
That concludes today’s Leech Lover facts; stay tuned for more you vampire enthusiasts.
– Moonlight
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