Despite the pragmatic world surrounding us, there still remains a place in it for strange and mystical events. They are reflected in urban legends, in literature and cinema, they are full of computer games, and sometimes it is difficult to understand the names and definitions. For example, are the ghouls still vampires or werewolves? The sources available to us contradict each other, new details are constantly being found out, and instead of the familiar world, a more complex and, perhaps, gloomy picture emerges.
Ghouls in legends and traditions
In many tales of almost all nationalities of the earth there are mysterious creatures who, under cover of night, seek to inflict evil on people. Most widespread are mystical stories about the dead rising from the grave. Despite the country in which these events take place, the intentions of the dead are surprisingly similar - to drink the blood of the living, and the relatives and loved ones of the deceased, as well as random passers-by, are especially leaders in the ranking of possible prey, especially if they are virgin.
In all the giving, the ghouls are evil creatures in which there is not a drop of good. It is impossible to come to an agreement with them, to win over, only to deceive, to flee or to kill. At the same time, you cannot get rid of such a monster with ordinary weapons, you need a special blade, an aspen stake, magic or consecrated objects or potions.
Vampires
In a modern reading, ghouls are precisely vampires, legendary bloodsuckers, endowed with eternal youth, beauty and temperament of the Arctic glacier. Some researchers attribute the migration of the ghouls to the vampire clan to Pushkin, it was he who described the ghoul in the eponymous poem, endowing it with typical vampire features. However, in the Slavic tradition, these are other creatures that are closer to the animal world than to the human one.
Werewolves
There is an opinion that the word "ghoul" in itself is a distorted form of the term "wolkolak", that is, a werewolf. Ghoul, therefore, is a classic lycanthropus, turning on the full moon into a monstrous predatory beast. Of course, the desires and aspirations of the beast are far from humanism.
Werewolf, as a rule, is born of a man, and only a couple of nights a month becomes a monster. Much less common is the opposite legend about wolves - wolves, which, in the full moon or of their own free will, become people. They are looking for a couple among people, and the chosen one or the chosen one after the wedding night also turns into a wolf.
The combination of mystical qualities in one being
Another trend of legends is more democratic, because in this version the ghouls are not easy vampires, they can turn into wild beasts, including wolves, of their own free will. Amazing properties were attributed to the terrible night evil - the ability to fly, turn into fog, do without human blood for a long time, but at the same time keep the ability to move and harm people.
We can say that all these mystical stories combine all or almost all of the frightening phenomena that can inspire fear or harm. Even the usual pallor of malnutrition became a sign of persistent persecution by vampires. If the village was terrorized by a particularly elusive wolf, slaughtering cattle, then the failures of the hunters could be attributed to a mysterious werewolf, which bullets do not take and simple traps do not catch.
A variety of interpretations and explanations
Attempts to bring this whole mystical community into a certain order led to the emergence of a hierarchy among the bloodsuckers. Partly, we owe this to the wild fantasies of writers and other creative people. At the top of the social ladder of bloodsuckers are vampires - elegant, sophisticated, albeit demonic. These are true “children of the night,” leading their race from Cain himself, the first killer of the human race. According to another version, vampires have a clan from Lilith, Adam's first wife.
Below the vampires are ghouls and ghouls, these are people bitten by vampires who are reborn and also began to experience an irresistible craving for human blood. Sometimes ghouls are called inferior vampires who steal bodies from graves.
Everything unpleasant and repulsive is associated with ghouls, while vampires have been overly romanticized lately. This could probably be called discrimination if vampires actually existed.
The attraction of mysticism
Otherworldly forces are an inexhaustible source for inspiration. They write poems and whole poems, make films, write books and devote songs. For example, the Gaza Strip recorded the song "Black Ghoul", Nautilus - "Tender Vampire", it is difficult to find a performer who was not seen in a creative relationship with evil spirits. Mysticism is frightening and at the same time attracting, so every day new theories appear that justify the existence of ghouls, werewolves and other nonhumans.
People’s belief in vampires is confirmed by historical research. In Europe, burials were found in which the bones were in such a form that this clearly betrayed fear of vampires. For example, with an aspen stake driven into the chest , a head chopped off, and even a brick driven into the mouth. According to people of the past, this was to prevent the bloodsucker from using fangs.
According to doctors, people suffering from serious illnesses have been accused of vampirism. For example, porphyria to such an extent changes the face of a person that it is difficult not to suspect the machinations of evil forces. It is hoped that the ghouls do not actually exist, otherwise it would be too scary to walk around the city at night.