Animals

One of the least talked about and most interesting mythical creatures on the planet is the Beast of Gevaudan, a predatory animal that supposedly stalked the woods of Gevaudan in the 18^th century, killing and devouring over 100 villagers in the area. The beast recently inspired a French film, Brotherhood of the Wolf, in which ninjitsu master French nobleman and a Native American transplant with cool tribal tattoos hunt down a big spiky pig-dog. The truth behind the Beast is somewhat more interesting and more provocative.

Between 1764 and 1776 in the South of France, a massive beast described as both wolf, panther, boar, and bear (but all agree it was the size of a horse) attacked and killed over 100 people. Nicknamed the Beast of Gevaudan for the Gevaudan Wood around which many of the attacks took place, the French King, King Louis XV (who laid the groundwork for the French Revolution), proclaimed a number of rewards and sent hunters to the forests to catch it. Several elaborate weapons and hunts were concocted, among private citizens as well as King Louis’ own men. One, a dragoon captain, even organized a hunt comprised of 20,000 citizens in the region to find the beast. Although he never did, he managed to incite a panic with his constant communications to local papers.