In Abyssinia, it was believed that blacksmiths could transform themselves into hyenas and perform other inexplicable acts. Coffin recounted a tale about a wealthy household in Abyssinia:
One evening, a servant approached his master to request leave, stating that he needed to be away until the following morning. After receiving permission, the servant departed. Moments later, another servant screamed, pointing in the direction the first servant had gone. "Look! He's transforming into a hyena!" Turning around, the master saw a hyena standing less than 100 meters away. Upon realizing it was being watched, the hyena fled.
The next morning, when the servant returned, the master demanded an explanation. Without hesitation, the servant confessed. He admitted to possessing the ability to transform into a hyena, claiming it was a family tradition. This peculiar talent was later documented by Pearce, who described a family in Abyssinia capable of turning into hyenas at will.
Coffin also shared a story from a friend who, during a walk home, unknowingly chatted with a hyena. As they rested at midday, the friend noticed his companion smile before transforming into his true form—a blacksmith.
In the Americas, similar tales abounded. Joseph Acosta recorded an account of a Mexican ruler who publicly transformed first into an eagle, then a tiger, and finally a great serpent.
In Guatemala, a bishop published a book in 1702 describing local sorcerers who could shapeshift into beasts. These sorcerers conducted bizarre rituals to convert others from Christianity to the region’s indigenous faiths. As part of their ceremonies, they would transform into animals before their audience.
Among North American Indigenous peoples, there is a story of a man living alone by Great Bear Lake with his dog, which eventually bore eight puppies. Each time he left to fish, he tied the puppies up to keep them from wreaking havoc in the house. However, he often returned to find the house filled with the laughter and chatter of children, only for the sounds to vanish upon his entry. One day, he feigned leaving and hid nearby. Peeking through the door, he discovered eight children playing, their dog skins discarded nearby. Rushing in, he threw the skins into the fire, ensuring the children could never return to their canine forms. These children, it is said, became the ancestors of the Dog People.
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In Slovakia, a foreboding tale unfolded:
Deep in the forest lived a woodcutter with nine daughters, the youngest being the most beautiful. Tragically, the woodcutter was also a werewolf. One day, he thought to himself, "Why should I toil to provide for nine daughters?" He devised a sinister plan.
The next morning, he announced he would be working deep in the forest and instructed his daughters to bring him food. That afternoon, the eldest daughter brought his meal. "Why so early?" he asked.
"So you’ll have strength and won’t feel the hunger to eat us," she replied.
"You’re a good girl," he said, inviting her to sit. Midway through his meal, he led her to a large pit, explaining, "This will be your resting place." Despite her pleas, he pushed her into the pit, crushed her skull with stones, and returned to work. One by one, the same fate befell his daughters, until only the youngest remained.
Suspicious of her father, she prepared a basket of food and secretly followed him. Peering through the bushes, she saw him roasting the heads of her sisters over a fire. When he saw her, she greeted him warmly and asked about her sisters. Deceitfully, he claimed they were hauling logs. Leading her to the pit, he declared it her grave. Quick-witted, she asked him to turn away while she undressed. The moment he did, she shoved him into the pit and fled.
The werewolf gave chase, his breath and growls growing louder. She threw her scarf, apron, and clothing behind her to slow him, but he shredded them to pieces and continued. Exhausted, she hid in a haystack. The werewolf toppled haystack after haystack until, spent and defeated, he slunk back into the forest.
The king’s hunting party discovered her and, captivated by her beauty, brought her to the palace, where she became queen. Years later, disguised as a beggar, the werewolf infiltrated the palace, murdered her two sons, and framed her. Cast out, she was condemned to wander with their severed heads hung around her neck.
A hermit revived the boys with magic, revealing the truth to the king. Together, they hunted the werewolf, driving him off a cliff to his death. Finally free, the family lived happily ever after.