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| Ghosts, ghouls, witches, vampires...yes, they are the real stars of Halloween. But how much do you know about these fiendish creatures? A little knowledge of these creatures is an essential requirement for anyone who loves Halloween. So come, let us familiarize yourself with the stars of Halloween and enlighten you about the fearsome ones mankind has always dreaded. If you like reading about the Stars of Halloween, click here and pass on this article to your friends and loved ones. Happy Halloween! |
| Read about the dreadful creatures who have it in them to be the stars of Halloween. Ghost : The word "ghost" refers to the soul or spirit of a dead person. Generally thought to be invisible, ghosts are believed to have the power to reveal themselves as translucent or wispy shapes and even as life-like figures. The belief in ghosts is as old as man himself and the spirits have always been a favorite subject in films, plays, novels and stories. Ghoul : This demonic creature is associated with graveyards and supposed to consume the flesh of dead humans. The origin of the "ghoul" is ascribed to ancient folk tales. It was William Beckford's "Vathek" that contains the first ever mention of the "ghoul", though the earliest literature to describe it is possibly the Arabian "One Thousand and One Nights". The English "ghoul" owes its origin to the Arabic "ghul" which is described in Arabic folklore as the child of Iblis (devil) and as an inhabitant of desolate places like burial grounds and deserts. It preys on young children and wary travelers, robs graves, drinks blood, steals coins and eats the dead, taking on the form of their dead victims. The female form of the "ghul" is "ghouleh". Vampire : It is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that gave her the ticket to limelight but the "vampire" finds a mention in many mythological tales and folklores and even in John Polidori's 1819 horror novel "The Vampyre" that describes her as a bloodthirsty female. A she-demon, the "vampire" sucks the blood of innocent people that turns them into vampires. But it was Stoker's masterpiece that catapulted the vampire to big-time glory and spawned a popular genre, still popular in the 21st century, with books, films, video games, and television shows. Witch : The "witch" is generally seen as a sorceress or enchantress, generally in a negative way. She is believed to have an expertise in black magic and uses her powers for ends that are detrimental to the society. The witches have been mentioned in various folklores and many novels, stories, films and plays including Shakespeare's masterpiece "Macbeth". The witches are supposed to be of four kinds - the "neighborhood witch" or "social witch" who curses a neighbor following some conflict; the "magical" or "sorcerer" witch who can either be a professional healer, sorcerer, seer or midwife; the "supernatural" or "night" witch who appears in visions and dreams as a demon. Warlock : According to primitive Christian traditions, warlocks are the male equivalent of witches. The traditional Scottish witchcraft used the term "warlock" to describe a wizard, or male witch. A synonym is "sorcerer". |
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