Vampire

   One of the undead. A corpse that lives in a grave during the day, and at night seeks nourishment by sucking the blood of humans. A vampire can take the form of a bat or wolf, and has no reflection in a mirror. The only way to kill a vampire is by driving a stake through its heart, exposing it to sunlight or cremation. There are many ways to protect yourself from a vampire, including the use of: garlic (worn or hung around doors and windows to protect a house), mustard seeds (vampires love to count, so sprinkling seeds around will keep them occupied counting until you escape or the Sun rises), salt, holly, holy water, juniper, bells (vampires don't like loud noises), crosses and candles. The legend of the vampire may be based on Vlad the Impaler. According to legend, there are three ways a person can become a Vampire. They can be bitten by a Vampire and die, to arise the next night as a Vampire; they can be bitten, but not killed; they can be bitten three times by a Vampire, who only takes a little blood each time. In many countries, it is believed that a person whose eyebrows meet is a werewolf, vampire or witch. See Vlad the Impaler, Zombie, Countess Elizabeth Bathory, and Giles de Rais.