SOURCE: THE RAWLINSON MANUSCRIPT (1300) by Anonymous

DESCRIPTION: "...and then suddenly thrust the sapling under her sleeve and struck him on the head with it once and again, crying "Be a wolf, be a wolf," meaning to add and have the understanding of a wolf, but she added instead the words "have the understanding of a man."

PLOT: The frame of the story is King Arthur is on a quest to find the true nature of women. He travels to a distant king who tells him the story of a ruler who is turned into a wolf by his deceitful wife. This is done with a magic branch, striking the person on the head and saying "Be a wolf, have the understanding of a wolf." The wife makes a mistake giving her husband the understanding of a man. The newly transformed wolf flees, going to a neighbouring country, where he befriends the king as his pet. In this role the wolf discovers the king's wife is unfaithful and helps reveal her. The king realizes the wolf must be a man enchanted by a spell. He follows the animal back to his country and tortures the queen until she gives up the branch. The wolf is restored to his human form. The queen's lover is executed. The queen is spared her life but must kiss the dead man's mummified lips every time the king kisses his new wife. The final revelation to Arthur is that women are evil by nature.

WEREWOLF FACTS: The magic branch speaks to a different time, one with a more mythological point of view. This story was probably influenced by the works of Ovid, being written by an anonymous Medieval monk.

INTERESTING FACTS: Pretty sexist stuff by modern standards. What is interesting is that the werewolf is not seen as an evil fiend but a cursed individual. Women on the other hand... This same attitude towards werewolves can be seen in Giraldus Cambrensis.