Vampire pumpkins and watermelons
(Redirected from Vampire Watermelon)
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 "Blood" forms naturally on a few square centimeters of the outside of an aged watermelon. Another picture shows the whole melon | |
| Grouping | Folklore |
|---|---|
| Sub grouping | Vampire |
| Country | Various |
| Region | Balkans |
Vampire pumpkins and watermelons are a folk legend from the Balkans, in southeastern Europe, described by ethnologist Tatomir Vukanović. The story is associated with the Romani people of the region, from whom much of traditional vampire folklore originated.[1]
The story was popularized by Terry Pratchett's 1998 book Carpe Jugulum, a comic fantasy novel making extensive use of vampire legends. Pratchett has stated that he did not invent the vampire watermelon story himself. It is found in several other works: Jan Perkowski's 1976 book reprinted Vukanović's account, the webcomic Digger incorporates a field of vampire squash (most of which resemble butternut squashes in appearance),[2]
References[edit]
- ^ The Vampire Encyclopedia. p. 218.
- ^ Ursula Vernon: Digger comic strip, 2007 June 08
Sources[edit]
- T. P. Vukanović, The Vampire; published in four parts in the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society from 1957 to 1960. (excerpts)
- (reprinted in) Jan L. Perkowski, Vampires of the Slavs (Columbus, Ohio: Slavica Publishers, 1976)
- Matthew Bunson, The Vampire Encyclopedia (New York: Gramercy, 2000)
- Annotations for Carpe Jugulum (see the note for page 150).