It is a common truth that everyone longs for what they don't have and desires to become something they are not, in the hope of becoming better, more powerful, and more successful. The transformation of a human into an animal in the mythologies of the world usually involves a change in physical appearance and the acquisition of animal traits, often including magical abilities.
In many cases of human-to-animal transformations, it wasn't so much a desired change, but one caused by a curse cast by one of the Slavic deities, an enemy sorcerer, a witch, or even a stepmother or the parents of the cursed person.
Animal transformations are often described as permanent until the curse is broken, for example: the seven brothers turned into ravens, a prince turned into a frog, or an animal beast. Such a curse of transformation usually required either the cursed person to repent or another hero to perform a heroic or magical deed that would break the evil spells.
However, there are also magical transformations that occur cyclically. In these cases, the cursed person transforms into an animal, like a WEREWOLF during the full moon, but it could also happen every evening at sunset or with the stroke of midnight, when the transformation occurs.
Belief in the existence of werewolves was widespread across the world. In some variations, the transformed animal was not a wolf but a bear, tiger, jaguar, or another canine or feline predator.
Similarly, desired transformations of a person, for example into a black cat, were also known in the Slavic environment. Transformations into ravens, falcons, owls, and often transformations into dogs, deers, and deers, as well as frogs, snakes, and mice, basically any animal, were also popular. The transformation of a human into an animal did not always have to be complete. Sometimes only the head changed and the body remained human, other times it could be the other way around and the animal's body retained a human face.
The skin of an animal, or part of it, has long been used as a symbol of power, and it was believed that wearing it would transfer the animal's traits to the wearer. Based on this belief, people began to mimic animals during various magical rituals and ceremonies. Dressed in animal skins, they would set out for the hunt or enter into battle.
The desired transformation was not unknown to our ancestors, and in this case we would even find several ways in which it could be accomplished. The most common transformation occurred during various magical and healing practices, where the spirit of the sorcerer transformed from human to animal form while passing into another world or reality. In this instance, the human body usually did not undergo physical change, but the sensation of transformation was just as real for the sorcerer.
Another way, is incarnation, in which the body remains physically unchanged in a trance state, but the sorcerer is transferred into a living, real animal. This animal then follows the sorcerer's commands, and the sorcerer, in turn, experienced everything the enchanted animal did, including its injuries.
Finally, methods are described that made it possible to become a werewolf or another animal. One of the most common was smearing oneself with witch salve, drinking a magic potion, or drinking rainwater from an animal track. A common magical method of transformation was to possess a magical animal skin or a belt made of it. Sometimes it could also be a necklace or other jewelry.
In the Slavic world, most deities held power over transformation into animals, starting with Veles and extending to Morena and Luna.
