| rdfs:comment | - Dieter (b. 1163) was an orphan who did odd jobs for weavers, tanners, enamellers, and smiths. In early 1176, as he entered puberty, Dieter began to take on the attributes of a werewolf. These would manifest themselves for one night, the night of a full moon. At dawn he would revert to his human form. Shortly, there was a knocking at the door. It was another Jew named David. He and some of the townsfolk entered and explained they were chasing a werewolf. Avram said that he had been reading all night and saw and heard nothing. The townsfolk accepted this and moved on to the next house.
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| abstract | - Dieter (b. 1163) was an orphan who did odd jobs for weavers, tanners, enamellers, and smiths. In early 1176, as he entered puberty, Dieter began to take on the attributes of a werewolf. These would manifest themselves for one night, the night of a full moon. At dawn he would revert to his human form. While in wolf form, Dieter retained his human intelligence and memories. His vision would dull and change to shades of grey while his sense of smell improved greatly. Also, if injured, his wound would heal unnaturally quickly. Even if hungry, he had no bloodlust for human flesh. Instead, on one occasion, he stole a flitch of bacon. Otherwise, he went hungry. However, he had no illusions that the townsfolk would believe this so he sought out deserted places to wait out the change. In Cologne, a few months after his first transformation, Dieter had been kept working too late by a swordsmith. On his way to a hiding place, the change struck him while he was still out in public. A woman had witnessed the change and screamed causing a number of townspeople to give chase, including Joachim, Klaus, and Hans. His instincts drove him to Saint Cäcilien's church, where he sought sanctuary. He entered the church and came toward a priest. As he opened his mouth, he realized the flaw in his plan: he could not speak. Instead, the priest saw a large hairy wolf with an open mouth filled with teeth approaching him. Not surprisingly, the priest reacted from fear and struck Dieter with his staff that had a silver crucifix on the end. The blow hurt him as much as it would have if he were human. The silver did not. He ran out of the church and was spotted by his pursuers. He ran for the market which had a number of escape routes but was cut off. He was forced to cut over to a side street. He was half way down it when it curved and revealed that it led to the gated quarter of the Jews. Not able to go back the way he had come, he ran at the stout timbers of the gate and gave a mighty leap. His head and forelegs cleared it but his belly slammed into it. He hung there for a moment, stunned, then scrambled over leaving behind skin and fur. He ran from the gate, as his pursuers began to pound on it, around a corner and nearly into a Jewish man. They stopped and stared at each other, then Avram said "Come with me, and quickly". He opened a door and directed Dieter into the house. When inside, Avram directed him under a table and then covered it with a draping cloth. Avram then sat at the table with his legs under it and a book and a couple of candles on it. Shortly, there was a knocking at the door. It was another Jew named David. He and some of the townsfolk entered and explained they were chasing a werewolf. Avram said that he had been reading all night and saw and heard nothing. The townsfolk accepted this and moved on to the next house. Avram then quietly told Dieter that he would stay reading until the candles burned out. He would then go to bed while Dieter should stay where he was until morning. When one candle went out Avram filled a bowl with water and left it on the floor by the table and took the other candle to bed. Dieter lapped up the water and went to sleep. When he awoke, it was morning and he was human. He wrapped himself in the table cloth and shortly Avram entered with a bundle of clothing. Dieter dressed and shared a breakfast of bread and cheese with Avram. Then they parted ways with Avram warning him that not all wolves run on four legs and the worst ones run on two.
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