Vampire Myths

As most of us already know, vampires have been these malevolent, cold blooded, and folkloric creatures who survive on the blood of living beings. Though they are believed to be evil and harmful, they are also portrayed equally attractive and hypnotic. Everything about them invites you towards them and that is how they manage to get their preys so easily, as depicted in the vampire legends. But, are Vampires real? The answer to this question depends on the beliefs that one has. Many cultures in ancient history have recorded the existence of vampire like entities. The famous historian Brian Frost says, "belief in vampires and bloodsucking demons is as old as man himself." A lot has been spoken of vampires since ancient history right until today. But not all that is spoken is a fact.

Myths and Facts about Vampires

The human mind is always wanting to know more about things that are unknown to us, including the existence of vampires. There are many myths and legends that exist. Vampires have also been mentioned in many literature works and of course, the present online games on vampire wars is one of the most famous! Even television and movies have not been able to escape from the curiosity to know more about vampires. Watching Buffy the vampire slayer and the famous vampire 'Edward Cullen' in the Twilight series, we tend to believe what we see, be it on television! Below are some interesting myths and facts that will help you understand about vampires in a more 'logical' way.

Myth#1: Vampires sleep in coffins only!
Well, this is just a myth which is originated from the ancient folklore! It was believed in many cultures that if an animal (cats, dogs, bats, etc.) jumped over or crossed over the death body of a person, then that tend body would transform into the 'undead', a vampire. Many gravediggers claimed to see these dead bodies rise from the grave and the myth formed that vampires sleep only in graves. As a matter of fact, they can sleep anywhere they feel safe and unseen.

Myth#2: Vampires can fly!
Vampires have been associated with bats because both are bloodsucking creatures. However, the belief that vampires have huge wings and can fly is completely a myth! Vampires are known to have exceptionally developed leaping skills which makes them look as if they are flying, but as a matter of fact, these are just unbelievably huge leaps!

Myth#3: Vampires melt/burst with sunlight!
Undoubtedly, sunlight does affect the vampires, but the idea of melting and bursting is exaggerated way out of proportion! Vampires are highly sensitive towards sunlight and their body tends to burn like a sunburn, not like huge flames! Apart from the reaction that they suffer from sunlight, their eyes too are extremely sensitive towards it. Therefore, saying that sunlight will make a vampire burst into flames, is like saying that a slap will twist the head!

Myth#4: Vampires do not age!
Another popular vampire myth is that they do not age. The fact is that they do age, but their aging process is a lot slower than humans, due to which we tend to think that vampires don't age!

Myth#5: Vampire bodies remain fresh!
As mentioned above, in ancient times, when the bodies which were jumped over by animals would turn to be vampires, the relatives buried the bodies and later on checked the graves to have some vampire traces. They found that the bodies were bloated with almost no signs of decomposition. They were known to have red lips and rosy cheeks. If you apply the basic logic of decomposition, the low levels of temperature under the ground can refrigerate and bloat the body which results in slower decomposition. Also it is the lower temper that enables the blood to push on the skin's surface and the lips for them to appear as red as if they have drank blood.

Myth#6: Vampires are immortal
Well, if they are immortal, why do different ways of killing vampires exist? Vampires can be killed by some ways. The wooden stake right through the heart is one of the most popular ways for the same. However, there are beliefs that holy cross and holy water can kill vampires. Or even the smell of garlic can shoo it away. All these are nothing but myths! Trust me, if vampires don't age soon, that means they live more and are more experienced in dealing with things that repel them. All these things won't work on an experienced vampire. It's the same like drowning can kill a human, but they have learned to swim!

Myth#7: Vampires don't have reflection!
This myth is again a result of the superstition that existed in the early ages. It was believed that vampires are the undead with no soul at all. Therefore, they didn't have a reflection! Although, vampires do have reflection. Your table and chair too, don't have a soul, but you do see their reflection, right!

So these were some of the most common myths that exist resulting from the vampire legends from around the world. If you happen to know some more interesting facts and myths about vampires, do include your comments here. I hope you enjoyed reading this article. Well, I did writing it, as it gave me a chance to explore the vampire myth and reality for sometime. Enjoy!