Loup-garou howling under a full moon
Although wolves were made extinct in much of Eastern Canada in the 1800s, there may still be wolf-like creatures prowling our woods at night, especially under the light of a full moon. When I was a child, my French-Canadian grandmother would warn me about the dangers of staying outside after dark, especially near forested areas. What was to be feared above all was a creature she called the loup-garou. I knew that loup meant ‘wolf’ in French, and since the meaning of the word garou was unknown to me, it fueled my imagination by amplifying the cunning, bloodthirstiness of the feared creature.
Would you venture into these dark woods alone at night?
Reluctant to come indoors at the end of the day, I discounted my grandmother’s stories as nonsense. After all, she was in the habit of telling other far-fetched tales, ones of horses acting strangely around men of questionable character or of ghostly hands pulling on your hair at night while you were asleep. It wasn’t until I read about the loup-garou in my French reader in elementary school that I realized there might be more to her tales than I had previously thought.
That account of the loup-garou was far more detailed than anything my grandmother had told me. It explained how the transformation from human to wolf took place when a person missed Easter Sunday communion for seven years in a row. The only way such a wretched soul could be ‘saved’ was to go to confession and ask forgiveness from the priest. Once they then took communion on Easter Sunday, they would no longer be doomed to transform each night into a ravenous wild animal. So much for the silver bullets used to destroy werewolves in English stories.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, there were numerous convictions and executions of loup-garous among the French during the 16th century. I wonder if any loup-garous came to Canada back then to escape such persecution.
A full moon is expected for tomorrow night. If you’re out walking near woods after sunset, do consider taking an extra look over your shoulder. If you’re a loup-garou reading this, and have grown tired of having to be on the prowl at night when others are tucked in their cozy beds, you might want to find out this weekend if there’s any truth to the Easter Sunday remedy.
Text and images copyright Amy-Lynn Bell 2012
Now I’m scared!! We have woods at the end of our garden. At night I hear foxes calling, which sometimes sounds like a person being throttled. I must remember not to walk in the woods after dark…..like I ever would!! Nice post Amy Lynn!
Lynne, the sound of those foxes would be disturbing. I have heard some awful sounds coming from the woods at times but always figured it was raccoons. Maybe not.
Don’t worry about the loup-garou. Well, at least not until you move to Canada.
I did not know that you might have werewolves in your woods, Amy!
Fascinating!
Reggie, our woods are full of surprises… especially ones located next to bogs.
You heading to communion this Sunday ? I wanna know before I go walking with you again …
Ha ha ha Sybil! We don’t usually go on walks after dark so I wouldn’t worry if I were you
Although I had heard of the loup-garou, I knew nothing of the legend. I’m going to forget it now, though since I have enough to fear in my woods.
Great story. I really enjoyed it.
Cindy, I only wrote about what I had remembered from my childhood. I recently came across another version of the story involving loup-garous in canoes doing hard work on the behalf of the devil at night. There are probably many versions of the legend.
These days, coyotes in the woods seem more of a threat than the loup-garous.
It has been a long time since I heard about the loup-garou, a story that used to frighten me as a child. I think there was a French film about it. Your pictures are so beautiful though, no fright any longer
Have a pleasant Easter Sunday:)
Isa, so I wasn’t the only one who was frightened by that story
It must have a European origin if you heard it too.
Have a happy Easter too
Your painting of the loup-garou is enchanting, Amy-Lynn! I had never heard of that story before. Scary stuff! Much as I love the woods during the day, being in the woods after dark makes me nervous. I’d like to be able to see what might be wandering around out there…
Barbara, I used to have a dog that was part wolf. He’d get off his leash and take off for the woods and bog behind my house, sometimes getting his collar snagged on a branch. I’d hear him howling and go looking for him in those woods, sometimes in the dark. My greatest fear was always getting a twig in the eye or stumbling on a den of raccoons, porcupines or skunks! It’s funny what scares us about the deep dark woods.
Thanks much! So many versions of this story!
James, yes there are always a great many versions to old tales like this. As they are passed on from one generation to the next, details are added by different storytellers. When you put all the details together, the story is quite a bit more rich and colorful than it probably was at the first telling long ago.