Pricolici

A pricolici (pronounced /pri.koˈlit͡ʃʲ/) (same form in plural) is a werewolf/vampire fusion in the Romanian folklore. Similar to a vârcolac, although the latter sometimes symbolizes a goblin, whereas the pricolici always has wolf-like characteristics.

Pricolici, similar to strigoi, are undead souls that have risen from the grave to harm living people. While a strigoi possesses anthropomorphic qualities similar to the ones it had before death, a pricolici always resembles a wolf. Malicious, violent men are often said to become pricolici after death, in order to continue harming other humans. They are also known to kill cattle, and are more aggressive than wolves.

Like the strigoi, the pricolici are undead monsters but they always take the form of a giant wolf. Violent, murderous men are said to return from the grave as pricolici to continue harming living people. Even in modern times, Romanians claim to have been attacked by abnormally large wolves that were, indeed, pricolici. In a country that still has the largest population of Canis lupus in Europe, it's not hard to guess how this mythical creature sprang to life.

Some Romanian folklore delineates that pricolici are werewolves in life and after they die, return as vampires. This also gives rise to the legend of vampires that can turn into animals such as wolves, dogs, or owls and bats. The common theme of all these animals being that they are nocturnal hunters much like vampires.

Even as recently as modern times, many people living in rural areas of Romania have claimed to have been viciously attacked by abnormally large and fierce wolves. Apparently, these wolves attack silently, unexpectedly and only solitary targets. Victims of such attacks often claim that their aggressor wasn't an ordinary wolf, but a pricolici who has come back to life to continue wreaking havoc.

The etymology of the word is unknown.