The
classical transformations of a vampire are threefold. First is the iconic bat.
It’s easy to understand the connection as bats are nocturnal and a species of
bat is vampiric. Enough said. The less we dwell on ideas such as the
conservation of matter, the better.
Next we
have the mist. Again, this is understandable as the regions of Hungary and
Romania—especially near the mountains—frequently are shrouded in fog. It’s not
difficult to imagine that the concealing mist might be of supernatural origin,
and would explain a vampire’s ability to appear and disappear into the night.
Lastly, and
it’s not completely canonical, is the wolf. Again, geographically this animal
is perfectly at home in the mountains and forests of Hungary and Romania, and
its howls into the night speak of a dangerous predator that warns people to be
afraid of the night.
The etiology
of this aspect of vampires is unclear, and the transformations serve little
real purpose for the vampires themselves. Why would the vampire need to
transform into something else? What’s the point? A bat gives it the ability to
fly, possibly moving about stealthily, but so what? The same is true with the
mist, though mist is rarely able to move about freely or with any kind of
speed. Wolves would seem to attract more attention than anything.
I would venture that the
transformations are a way to instill more fear into people. The three forms
only have that in common, particularly in the medieval minds that first dreamt
up the vampires. but this trait has become popular, and is one of the more
magical aspects of their nature, ranking up there with their immortality.
As a purely magical trait, it
serves to further distance them from humanity, giving rise to Satanic
influences—quite possibly popularized by various Christian sects—as a warning
to people. Regardless, it’s a fascinating trait, revealing more complexity to
an already complex mythology.