Balladeer’s Blog’s month-long celebration of Halloween continues with this look at Canadian werewolf lore.
THE WERWOLVES (1898) – Written by Honore Beaugrand, this story features fairly unique werewolf lore. The tale is not structured in a traditional way but instead expands upon accounts of lycanthropy in campfire tales as if they really, truly happened.
A modern comparison might be with those far-fetched tales of the supernatural from supermarket tabloids or online Creepypastas. The pretense of reality adds to the fun.
Set in the very early 1700s The Werwolves treats readers to a pack of Iroquois lycanthropes rampaging around Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. These werewolves are much more intelligent and gregarious than many other such monsters.
They operate in a pack to steal away victims and even dance around a fire in their wolfmen forms howling and chanting before devouring their victims.
These Canadian variations also look much different than readers might expect: they have the heads of wolves and the tails of wolves but the rest of their bodies remain human after their nocturnal transformation. Continue reading
NANCY (1970-1971) – With I Dream of Jeannie having finished its final season, creator Sidney Sheldon launched his new series Nancy, about the 21-year-old daughter of the incumbent U.S. President finding love with a small-town Iowa veterinarian. Would it complete a sitcom Hat Trick for Sidney and be as successful as his previous Patty Duke Show and the aforementioned I Dream of Jeannie? Not a chance. 
Renne Jarrett starred as First Daughter Nancy Smith, a pretty young lady living in Center City, IA. Nancy stayed with her guardian and chaperone Abby Townsend, played by the one and only Celeste Holm. 
FRANKENSTEIN (1910) – This first ever cinematic depiction of the classic horror story was produced by Edison Studios, as in Thomas Edison. Luckily Frankenstein has survived, and existing copies run from 11 minutes to 16 minutes. 
Edison Studios efforts were known for their slipshod, seat of their pants nature, and Frankenstein serves up my all-time favorite back-to-back dialogue boards. “Frankenstein leaves for college.” followed by “Two years later Frankenstein has discovered the mystery of life.” (… And Frankenstein Created Cram School) 
“The untold millions of people, unvetted, who she has allowed into this country that are committing murders, rapes, robberies, burglaries, and every other crime will continue to put our country in peril. Only one man can fix that and that is Donald J. Trump. He has always stood with the men and women who protect this border.” More 
LIBERTY VS LYNX: GAME TWO – The NEW YORK LIBERTY took the court against the visiting MINNESOTA LYNX, who held a 1-0 advantage in this best of 5 finals series. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER FOUR – In the NAIA the CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PHOENIX hosted the number 4 team in the nation – the BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS. Neither team scored in the opening Quarter, but the score was tied at 7-7 come Halftime. After the break, the Phoenix outscored Bethel University 14-7 for a 21-14 Upset.
INDIE TEAM OVER NCAA – This game saw the independent NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) welcoming the D3 MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY MARINERS. The Builders returned the opening kickoff for a Touchdown, then notched a 35-12 1st Quarter lead. The Apprentice School never looked back from there, demolishing the Mariners SEVENTY-TWO to TWENTY-SIX! 
PENITENTE (Penitent) 
To redeem himself in the eyes of Heaven, the Penitente had to save seventy times seven the number of innocent victims he had killed while alive. As part of this purgative servitude he would also be periodically pitted against dark forces which had escaped from Hell. 
Comment: Our hero rose from his grave and masked his decaying, scarred face behind a red cloth like those worn during Brazil’s Procession of the Penitents. 
LYNX VS LIBERTY: GAME ONE – The MINNESOTA LYNX visited the NEW YORK LIBERTY to get the Finals started. 
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