Myths and legends from this part of France Part 3

The coastal area here, like coastal areas all over the world, was subject to raids and piracy, lootings and pillaging for many centuries.

One day some Spanish ships anchored off shore and the sailors came on land and raped and murdered the people and stole their posessions.  They then sailed away in to the night, as suddenly as they had arrived.  The devastation they left behind was total. Very few were left alive but, with the strength and determination of righteous people, they re-built their village and re-planted their crops, and soon the community was thriving again.

Then one spring night, when the water was very calm and the air soft, a lone Spanish ship slipped in to the bay, half-hidden in a gentle mist, and totally quiet.  Silently, the sailors lowered their boat and rowed ashore, their oars making the tiniest splashing sound in the water, followed by the quiet crunching of the sand as they pulled the boat on to the beach.

What they did not know, however, was that the people of the village had taken in a destitute magic woman named Artouan.  They told her that, in return for housing and feeding her, she was to cast a spell over any further Spanish sailors who tried to invade.   As the sailors made their way silently towards the sleeping village, the magic woman watched from her hiding place.  She cast a spell and changed the road so that it led in to the marshlands.  The sailors soon realized they were lost and they wandered around in the dark muddy waters, trying to find a way back to the road.

When they were all exhausted and desperate to go back  to their boat, Artouan cast another spell and changed them in to little stone huts, the remains of which can be seen dotted all over the marshes to this day, and the village that Artouan saved was re-named Artouan as a thank you.

Artouan is a small village a mile or two from Rochebonne, our house.

Catherine Broughton is a novelist. Her books are on Amazon and Kindle, or can be ordered from ost book stores and libraries.  More about Catherine Broughton on http://www.turquoisemoon.co.uk

Myths and Legends in this part of France Part 2

There is a forest nearby, called La Foret de Combot.  It was once inhabited by two sisters.  One of the sisters was called Elea, and she was very beautiful and local people called her the Fairy of Combot.  The other sister, Sylvine, was very ugly and in no time was dubbed the Witch of Combot.

Not only was Sylvine ugly, she also had a dark, black heart.  It was so dark and so black that the devil fell in love with her.

The devil dressed up as a handsome young sorcerer and in no time Sylvine was seduced by him.  Sylvine soon found that she was pregnant.  The devil dropped his disguise and Sylvine saw who he really was.

“I am leaving now, but when my son is born,” said the devil, “I will return.  Make sure you do your job properly!  My son will be king of the earth and the very spot where he is born will be his palace !”  And he then disappeared in a great flash of fire.

But the lovely Elea had witnessed the whole scene, and she decided that she would not allow another devilish creature to install itself in the area.  So when Sylvine gave birth, Elea cast a spell so that Sylvine could not move. Elea disguised herself as Sylvine and grabbed the baby.  She rushed out to the dangerous rocks in the sea and cast another spell, and a beautiful palace for the newborn appeared in the turbulent waters, with a rock bridge leading to it.

In no time at all the devil came to see his new son.  He was delighted.  He grabbed the baby and rushed out towards the palace.  But the rocks were slippery and the waves were high and the devil slipped and fell in to the depths of the dark ocean, and was never seen again. Elea, quick as a flash, cast another spell which changed the devil-baby in to a dolphin.

And to this day you can sometimes see him splashing in the water.  And all that remains of the palace is the rock bridge.  The spot is called “Le Pont du Diable”.

Catherine Broughton is a novelist. Her books are available on Amazon & Kindle, or can be ordered from most leading book stores and libraries.  More about Catherine Broughton, to include her sketches and entertaining stories from all over the world, on http://www.turquoisemoon.co.uk