Père Fouettard: The French Child-Beater Who Accompanies Saint Nicholas and Has a Very Dark Origin Story
Père Fouettard, Father Whipper, is the dark companion of Saint Nicholas in the French Christmas tradition, particularly in northeastern France,
France
Hans Trapp: The French Christmas Scarecrow Who Was a Real Man Condemned to Terrify Children for Eternity
Hans Trapp is the Christmas threatening figure of the Alsace and Lorraine regions of northeastern France, the area that sits
La Chasse Fantastique: The Wild Hunt of France and the Army of the Dead That Rides Through the Winter Sky
La Chasse Fantastique, the Phantom Hunt or Wild Hunt, is the French version of one of the most widely distributed
Gilles de Rais: The Marshal of France Who Fought Beside Joan of Arc and Became the Original Bluebeard
Gilles de Rais was one of the most celebrated military commanders in France, a Marshal of France who fought alongside
La Tarasque: The Monster of the Rhône That Saint Martha Tamed With a Hymn and a Belt
The Tarasque is a monster from the Provence region of southern France, a creature of such terror that the town
The City of Ys: The Drowned City of Brittany and the Princess Who Opened the Floodgates
The City of Ys is the great legendary city of Brittany, a magnificent coastal settlement protected from the sea by
Korrigans: The Fairy Folk of Brittany Who Haunt the Standing Stones and Steal Unbaptised Children
The Korrigans are the fairy people of Brittany, small supernatural beings who inhabit the megalithic monuments, springs, rivers, and wild
Ankou: The Breton Personification of Death Who Drives the Cart of the Dead
The Ankou is the personification of death in Breton tradition, a figure so deeply embedded in the culture of Brittany
Le Lutin: The French Household Spirit Who Braids Horses’ Manes and Is Impossible to Get Rid Of
Le Lutin is the household spirit of French tradition, a small supernatural being who attaches himself to a home, a
Les Fées: The Fairies of France and Why They Are Nothing Like the Fairies of England
The French fairy tradition, les fées, is one of the oldest and most sophisticated in Europe, and it differs from