9 Examples of Vampire Folklore and the Reasoning Behind Them

True Crime Nightmares
9 min readJun 27, 2024

1. Sunlight is a Vampire’s Worst Enemy

Anyone who has watched horror movies with vampires at their center knows that exposure to sunlight will result in a fiery death for these night stalkers. While this means of eliminating blood feeders are almost universally accepted as foolproof, there are loopholes to consider.

When they are in human form, vampires are vulnerable to ultraviolet rays, especially those which emanate directly from the sun. There is, however, a way around this for those who wish to inhabit the world of the living anytime they please without forfeiting their immortality in the process.

Utilizing their talent for shapeshifting, vampires can transform themselves into beings that are impervious to the sun. While they have the ability to assume any identity of their choosing, their preferred personas are thought to be those of bats and wolves. While in these guises, vampires can scout prey without raising the suspicions of those around them.

Back in the day, when a traditionally nocturnal animal was found roaming the countryside in the light of day, residents would scramble for ways to explain the creature’s uncharacteristic behavior. Although their presence raised some eyebrows, only those whose lives were steeped in folklore viewed it as a sign that a…

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True Crime Nightmares

Writer, author, victim rights advocate, paranormal enthusiast. Check out my podcast, "True Scares & Real-Life Nightmares," on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music.