WEBVTT - The Monstrefact: The Boxenwolf

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of

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<v Speaker 1>My Heart Radio. Hi, my name is Robert Lamb and

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<v Speaker 1>this is The Monster Fact, a short form series from

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<v Speaker 1>Stuff to Blow Your Mind, focusing in on mythical creatures, ideas,

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<v Speaker 1>and monsters in time. I need not describe for you

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<v Speaker 1>the horrors of the werewolf, for this particular monster lurks everywhere.

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<v Speaker 1>It waits in the folkloric dark, it leaps off the

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<v Speaker 1>cinematic screen. The werewolf is the human who became a wolf,

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<v Speaker 1>and yet is neither a cannibal and murderer. The bestial

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<v Speaker 1>nature of man overriding the safeguards of society and culture.

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<v Speaker 1>You are all too familiar with this monster already, and

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<v Speaker 1>you're also quite familiar with the most popular versions of

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<v Speaker 1>the curse itself. In some werewolf stories, the curse may

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<v Speaker 1>be the result of past crimes or the viral of

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<v Speaker 1>another werewolf. In many cases, the full moon is to

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<v Speaker 1>blame for drawing out the wolf form and drowning the

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<v Speaker 1>countryside in blood. Other times, the transformation might be the

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<v Speaker 1>result of a potion or rain water consumed from the

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<v Speaker 1>footprint of an animal. Other times, however, the curse of

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<v Speaker 1>the werewolf depends on a curious leather strap. Consider the

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<v Speaker 1>boxing wolf, a particular variety of werewolf native to the

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<v Speaker 1>Schomberg region of Germany. As Brad Steiger relates in The

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<v Speaker 1>Werewolf Book, if one makes a pact with the devil,

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<v Speaker 1>the devil provides a leather strap that, when worn around

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<v Speaker 1>the waist, transforms the individual into a mighty, murderous wolf.

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<v Speaker 1>There are other variations of the tail for other reasons

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<v Speaker 1>that don't involve the direct presence of the devil. Sometimes

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<v Speaker 1>a king is tricked into wearing the strap. Other times

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<v Speaker 1>a child discovers the cursed strap of a parent and

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<v Speaker 1>wears it. In at least one tale, as are counted

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<v Speaker 1>by Michael Sumpson in The Werewolf in nineteenth century Denmark.

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<v Speaker 1>The strap is used defensively. Leave it in front of

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<v Speaker 1>your door, and should someone try to enter in the night,

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<v Speaker 1>the mere act of stepping over the cursed object will

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<v Speaker 1>transform them into a were wolf. Now, personally, I have

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<v Speaker 1>questions regarding how this protects you in your home. It

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<v Speaker 1>seems like you would not want to transform potential trespassers

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<v Speaker 1>into were wolves. But we have to trust the wisdom

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<v Speaker 1>of this previous age. Now, the notion of The transformative

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<v Speaker 1>strap might seem counterintuitive, but it connects quite strongly to

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<v Speaker 1>global traditions of where wolves where creatures and monstrous transformations

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<v Speaker 1>in general, because in some cases the strap of the

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<v Speaker 1>boxing wolf is said to be made of wolf leather,

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<v Speaker 1>and numerous tales from around the world speak of humans

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<v Speaker 1>donning the hide of an animal and using it to

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<v Speaker 1>magically transform into the creature, or otherwise being overtaken by

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<v Speaker 1>the beastial nature in the pelt. In some cases, this

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<v Speaker 1>vile garment must be hidden during the day and then

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<v Speaker 1>worn at night. Far from a simple monster, the werewolf

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<v Speaker 1>resonates with numerous complex properties of the human condition and

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<v Speaker 1>human history, animosity towards and fear of wolves, accounts of

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<v Speaker 1>fur clad invaders, the recognition of our animal nature's, the

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<v Speaker 1>reality of psychopathy, and the fear of the unknown. It

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<v Speaker 1>is probably best not to accept anything from the Devil

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<v Speaker 1>should you have the chance to meet him, but certainly

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<v Speaker 1>refuse any straps he might offer you. You may find

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<v Speaker 1>it very difficult to take back off again. Tune into

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<v Speaker 1>additional episodes of the Monster Fact each week incept him

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<v Speaker 1>in October. As always, you can email us at contact

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<v Speaker 1>at stuff to blow your Mind dot com. Stuff to

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