The Supernatural - Vampire(s)

Varities of vampires
Europe was terrorized for many centuries by vampires beliefs. The Ancient Greeks feared human-like demons that drank blood from the living. The Norse people of Scandivia believed the dead were alive in their graves, but had become evil and violent.
Vampires were not reported in Britain after 1300, but they haunted the rest of Europe for much longer. As recently as 1863 there was a vampire epidemic in Bulgaria. It did not end until a white witch discovered and distroyed the evil spirit.

The Russian vampire, known as a 'vieszcy', gnawed his own hands and feet while in the grave but at midnight he escaped to attack cattle, seek blood and ring church bells.

The Bugairian vampire had two forms. For the first 40 days he learned how to be evil and had filmy body which gave off bright sparks in the dark. After this the vampire rose from the grave in his old body, but he now had only only one nostril and a long sharp tongue.

In Germany they had three vampires called neutoter, dracul and nachzehrer.
Neutoter was blamed for spreading plague as it had such an unpleasant, smelly body and was covered in sores.
Dracul was a corpse brought back to live by a demon.
Nachzehrer had very strange habits. It sat in its tomb holding the thumb of one hand tightly in the other, always kept its left eye open, and made loud grunting noises while it devoured its shroud (a white cloth which was worn).

In Transylvania, now part of central Romania, htere was a vampire called the 'murony'. It could change from a human into a cat, dog, toad or any blood-sucking insect. This sort of disguise made it very easy for the murony to attack his victims, as they would not be suspicious of animals. When discovered in human form in the grave, the murony could be recognized by its long sharp nails and the fact that blood dripped from its eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
Many central Europeans beleived that a soul could leave its body and enter into an animal without any ill effect, evn before death. Some people thought it was dangerous to go to sleep thirsty as the soul would then go out to look for a drink. The sould often took the shape of a mouse or flying insect.
The story of Arnold Paole
In 1729, a young soldier from Serbia, named Arnold Paole, was sent to a remote and haunted part of Greece. One night he was viciously attacked by a vampire. He knew that unless he acted quickly he would die and beocme a vampire himself.
The only solution was for Arnold to find his attacker's grave, eat some earth from it and smear his body with the vampire's blood. Although he carried out this remedy, Arnold was so afriad that he elft the army and returned to his home.
Arnold settled on his small farm in the village of Meduegna, and seemed to eb quite unharmed. However, during the harvest he fell from a hay cart and sied soon after. he was buried in the local church yard but did not rest there in peace.
Within a month Arnold was seen wandering the village at night. People who saw his spirit became very ill and four died within a few days. Panic spread and it was decided Arnold's body must be dug up and checked for any signs of vamprisism.
This gruesome tast was carried out on egrey winter morning about ten weks after Arnold's funeral. The gravedigger dug up the coffin , watched by officials from the capital city and army doctors as well as the local dignitaries.
When the coffin was opned what it revealed made evryone certain they were dealing with a cvampire. Arnold had moved to one side of the coffin. His hair and nails had grown and his mouth was red with fresh blood. He looked like a living man.
Arnold's corpse had to be dealt with in one of the traditional ways of ending vampirism before his sould could rest quietly. the villagers scattered garlic over Arnold's body and siad prayers for his spirit. A stake of whitethorn wood was driven into his heart with one blow. Warm crimison blood gushed from the woud as if Arnold were still alive over two months. the corpse withered in agony and let out a dreadful yell.
The four vicitms of Arnold's night time attcaks were dug up in case they ghad become vampires too. The reports of this epidemic of the undead in MEduegna do not mention the condition of these corpses. However, it seems they were vampires, as thye were dealt with in the smae way as Arnold had been: stabbed with a whitethorn stake and beheaded with a spade.
Finally all the vampires were thrown onto a roaring bonfire and burned in its fierce flames.
Fire was supposed to be the ultimate weapon for distroying vampires. A pile of smouldering ashes is impossible to revive. Once deprived of an earthly home the vampire's sould was forced to go to the spirit world.
Although all the vampires had been stakes, burned and reburied, within six years a new epidemic broke out in the village. once again people were taken ill and became pale and weak as if from loss of blood.
They died suddenly just like Arnold's victims.
The villages now knew how to deal witht the danger,a nd another party of investigators arrived from Belgrade. They examined every suspicious grave and foud many corpses in a va,pire state. these included children,a nd even small babies as well as adults. All were full of fresh blood, so they were dealt with in the usual way. The ashes were thrown into a river to carry them away. people suspected the new epidemic had been caused by eating meat from animals once attacked bY Arnold Paole.
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