Ulfheðnar

You’ve heard of berserkers. Everyone has. Those Norse warriors who became legendary for being nigh unstoppable in battle.

But have you heard of the úlfhéðnar?

In Old Norse, the word means something like wolf-coats, or wolf-head, but they’re sometimes known as the wearers of the wolf.

Now, your history books will tell you that they were simply Norse warriors who wore wolf pelts instead of bear pelts, and that’s pretty interesting on its own.

Especially when you learn that they were elite warriors, like berserkers, but a little more in control.

Some wore the pelt over their armour. Some didn’t even bother with the armour. They usually worked in coordinated packs, bringing discipline to battle-fury - unlike berserkers, who just tried to ☠️ whoever was in front of them, friend or foe.

Odin Allfather was said to be able to change his form, which is why these fierce warriors were considered his special warriors.

Their contemporaries widely believed (apparently) that when they wore the wolf pelt, they channelled the spirit of the wolf in battle. In essence, they became part wolf.

In other words, they were feared because, during the battle, once they donned that wolf pelt, some suspected they were no longer completely human but had become a kind of werewolf.

A warrior, who dons wolf fur, is called “wolf-head”, works in a pack and fights with the ferocity of a wolf?

You can see why they might think that.

But that’s just old-timey superstition, though, right?

Or is it?

In my first book, Blood in the Dust, I explore the idea of the úlfhéðnar and play with the notion that it wasn’t. That people who wore these magical wolf skins, gifts from Odin, really did transform into werewolves.

What kind of werewolf would they be?

Well, in my book, that depended on the person wearing the pelt. And, in this case, that person wasn’t very nice!

But no, I’ve said too much.

If you want to know more - read the book. 😏

And if you have read the book (thank you! 🙏), let me know what you thought of my slightly cheeky take on this Old Norse myth.