The ancient belief in lycanthropy(狼への変身), the magical ability of a human to assume the form and characteristics of a wolf, still exists in many parts of the world. In the Middle Ages, the church went so far as to condemn lycanthropy as a form of sorcery(黒魔術、妖術)and often ruthlessly(無慈悲に)punished suspected offenders. One of the most widely held superstitions relating to lycanthropy is the belief in the werewolf(狼人間).