Likan is a word that is rarely found in everyday speech. More common for the Russian language is the “werewolf." But are these concepts equivalent? More information about who it is - a lycan, and how it stands out among werewolves, will be described in the article.
Who is it?
Before proceeding to consider the meaning of the word "lycan", you should first talk about werewolves as such. This is the name of a mythological creature that has the ability to temporarily change its appearance with the help of magic. It turns (turns around, throws) from a person to another creature, object, plant, and vice versa.
A very common story in the mythology of different peoples is the transformation from person to animal. For example, the “Tale of Igor’s Regiment” describes episodes of the capture of Novgorod by the sorcerer and werewolf Vseslav Polotsky.
The culture of the North American Indians contains the belief that the transformation into the animal-totem of this tribe is an indicator of merging with the spirit of the ancestor.
In Russian epics Volga Svyatoslavich turned into a left-beast, a pike-fish, a bay tour - golden horns, a small ermine, a small bird-bird and other animals.
Also, Russian folklore describes the conversion of the Fire Serpent into a beautiful young man visiting women. In various creatures, Koshchei the Immortal can turn around. The myths of the Turks are characterized by guliabani - evil werewolves who live in deserted places and scare travelers.
The difference between “Russian” and “Western” werewolves
It consists in the fact that the former can turn not only into animals, but also into various objects - stone, ball of thread, stick, haystack, and also into plants - bush, tree, flower, mushroom. Usually, before turning, they hit the ground. There was an opinion that such a werewolf is either an apostate or a child who died unbaptized, whose souls “willfully be mischievous.” In the North, these creatures were called kikimors. Brownies and witches were also credited with their properties.
The rest of the qualities of werewolves in Slavic and Western cultures coincided. According to legend, they could have many outstanding abilities that exceeded the capabilities of not only people but also animals. These were:
- supernatural power;
- speed and agility;
- night vision;
- very long life.
A werewolf species
In the folklore of European countries there is a popular variety of werewolf - lycan. He is a wolf man, who is also called "werewolf". In Slavic mythology, “volkolak” corresponds to it. There is such a name as "lycanthropus", from which the word "lycan" came from. It has ancient Greek roots, formed from the addition of the foundations of two nouns: λύκος, which means "wolf", and ἄνθρωπος - "man." Hence the literal meaning.
Lycanthropes were also called people who believed that they turn into animals. Such exist today. This condition in psychiatry is called clinical lycanthropy.
The mythical ability to turn into a wolf was first discovered in the treatise "Hammer of the Witches" (1669). Subsequently, this term began to be used in a broader sense. This is the possession of the property of turning into any animal. But still the word "lycan" refers specifically to werewolves.
The Slavs used it quite rarely. The name “wolkolak” or “wolkodlak” was used more, which stands for “wolf skin” or “wolf bear”. But also lycans were called “werewolf-wolf” and “wolf-werewolf”.
Prevalence of beliefs
Beliefs in lycans were widespread in those places where wolves were found. These are Eurasia and North America. Moreover, in the folklore of Europeans, where they were also called werewolves, this was the most popular type of werewolf.
Stories about Lycans can be found in the myths of the ancient Greeks and Romans, in the Scandinavian sagas, and medieval poetry. In countries where they spoke French and German. During the late Middle Ages, the ability to transform was equated with witchcraft, and hunting for lycans-werewolves was deployed. As a result, hundreds of innocent people were executed.
Since the 19th century, lycans have been popular characters in works of art. The sources of ideas about what werewolves looked like are drawn in the appearance and behavior of people who resemble them, as well as in psychology and ancient mythological representations.
Types of Werewolves
In general, both mythical and artistic lycans can be divided into three types:
- Those who are capable of transforming of their own accord by magical means. It can be a magic ointment, a bewitched hide or a belt.
- Those who turn only periodically and uncontrollably. Generally at night.
- Those who are turned into wolves by higher powers or sorcerers.
A werewolf can be a person at any age and related to any gender. Werewolves appeared in the form of ordinary wolves, but often very large in size and possessing tremendous power. It was believed that the wound inflicted on the werewolf remains in human form. It should be noted that in myths, in fiction, and in films, lycans are both evil creatures that harm people, and positive, sometimes even heroic characters.