Editing Werewolf (section)

=== Hungary and Balkans ===
In [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] folklore, werewolves are said to live in the region of [[Transdanubia]], and it was thought that the ability to change into a wolf was obtained in infancy, after suffering parental abuse or by a curse. It is told that at the age of seven the boy or the girl leave home at night to go hunting, and can change to a person or wolf whenever they want. The curse can also be obtained in adulthood if a person passes three times through an arch made of [[birch]] with the help of a wild [[rose]]'s spine.

The werewolves were known to exterminate all kind of farm animals, especially sheep. The transformation usually occurred during the [[winter solstice]], [[Easter]] and a full moon. Later in the 17th and 18th century, the trials in Hungary were not only conducted against witches, but against werewolves too, and many records exist documenting connections between the two. Vampires and werewolves are closely related in Hungarian folklore, both being feared in antiquity.<ref>Szabó, György. Mitológiai kislexikon, I–II, Budapest: Merényi Könyvkiadó (év nélkül) Mitólogiai kislexikon. {{ISBN?}}</ref>

Among the [[South Slavs]], and among the ethnic [[Kashubians|Kashubian people]] in present-day northern Poland, there was the belief that if a child was born with hair, a birthmark, or a caul on their head, they were supposed to possess shape-shifting abilities. Though capable of turning into any animal they wished, it was commonly believed that such people preferred to turn into a wolf.<ref name="willis">{{Cite book |last1=Willis |first1=Roy |last2=Davidson |first2=Hilda Ellis |author2-link=Hilda Ellis Davidson |year=1997 |title=World Mythology: The Illustrated Guide |publisher=Piaktus |isbn=0-7499-1739-3 |oclc=37594992}}</ref>

[[Serbia]]n [[Vrykolakas#Etymology|''vukodlak''s]] traditionally had the habit of congregating annually in the winter months, when they would strip off their wolf skins and hang them from trees. They would then get a hold of another ''vulkodlak''{{'}}s skin and burn it, releasing from its curse the ''vukodlak'' from whom the skin came.<ref name="Woodward" />