Vampires
Vampires are products of mythology and folklore, creatures believed to be immortal, with an undying urge to feast on blood for survival. They are constantly portrayed in art, including novels, poetry, and films. They are believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, but no one can truly tell for sure where exactly or when. The word itself was borrowed from the German word “vampir”, which was probably borrowed from the Hungarian or Serbian word “vampir.” Some people believe that the word can be traced all the way to the Turkish word “ubyr.” In ancient culture, vampires have appeared in Babylonian demonology, Sanskrit folklore, Egyptian history through the tale of Sekhmet, in Homer’s Odyssey, and many other cultures and historical events. In the 18th century, it was reported that vampire attacks occurred in East Prussia. There were two vampire-related cases which involved Peter Plogojowitz and Arnold Paole. According to legend, after Plogojowitz died, he came back asking his son for food. His son refused to grant him his wish, and his body was found the next day, lifeless. It is believed that Plogojowitz also attacked the neighbors, and they were found to have lost a lot of blood. Arnold Paole’s death brought upon the death of many of his neighbors and people around him, and many people believe that he was bitten by a vampire, and had turned into one himself. Most vampire tales and legends originated from Eastern European cultures such as the Romanian and Slavic cultures. In Romanian legend, vampires are called Strigoi, who are actually witches who become vampires only after death. In the 18th and 19th centuries in New England, vampirism was a common belief amongst society. In modern culture, many people believe that vampirism could really be only a result of people who misunderstood diseases. Some individuals believe that vampires could have been people with the disease porphyria. This illness actually causes the individual to be very sensitive to sunlight. Other people believe that vampirism could really be a result of rabies, which makes the person want to avoid sunlight, and causes froth at the mouth. Other beliefs are that vampires could have really been individuals suffering from clinical vampirism, in which the individual is only obsessed with drinking blood, and is just misunderstood to be a vampire. According to legend, one can prevent being attacked by a vampire if he carries objects such as garlic, wild rose, the hawthorn plant, holy water, or a crucifix with him around for protection. According to legend, vampires do not have reflections, don’t cast shadows, and cannot survive in the daylight. To kill a vampire, one must drive a wooden stake through the heart of a vampire, or decapitate him. Vampire bats actually exist, and there are three forms of these bats, including the Common vampire bat, the Hairy-legged vampire bat, and the white-winged vampire bat, most of which survive in locations such as Mexico and South America. These vampire bats actually do feast on blood in order to survive, hence the term, vampire bats.