As you may know, behind Aeternum lies a small business based in Brittany (in southern Finistère, to be precise). And it is well known that this region lives to the rhythm of legends, myths, and more or less well-known magical practices (Brocéliande, Merlin, the Fairy Viviane, the Alignments, and many others). Thus, to highlight our beautiful region, we will regularly publish little-known legends from Breton history.
This week, we are going to talk about a relatively little-known legend that takes place in Brocéliande and tells of a woman who even discouraged the devil himself...
Seven kilometers northeast of Guer stands the old castle of La Loyère, located in the commune of Loutehel, on the edge of the Brocéliande Forest. In the past, this imposing castle, surrounded by ponds and protected by moats and a drawbridge, was the lair of lords feared by their neighbors. Their misdeeds were numerous, including the abduction of women and young girls from the surrounding villages, who, once taken to the castle, never reappeared.
The last descendant of this cursed lineage was a cruel and selfish marquise. Known for tormenting her servants, she preferred to throw her harvests into the ponds rather than offer them to the poor. When she died, the devil himself is said to have come to collect her, but, overwhelmed by her wicked soul, he cast her back onto Earth without claiming his due. It was then that the castle became haunted by this creature, first called the beast of La Loyère, which made the place uninhabitable.
Every night, she spread terror by galloping through the rooms, carrying off sleepers and plunging them into the ponds before bringing them back, freezing cold, to their beds. When the castle was abandoned, its inhabitant turned on the villagers, wandering along the paths and sometimes entering homes at dusk. Although the villagers often managed to drive her away, she took revenge by mistreating the children.
When the castle was renovated, the beast deserted the place for the heart of Brocéliande, became wilder, and appeared only after nightfall. It lurked at crossroads, straying herds and attacking unwary travelers. Most often, only her nose could be seen... or rather a muzzle, a beak, or a maw, and sometimes she appeared in the form of a beautiful mare, tempting weary travelers to mount her. But anyone who succumbed to this temptation was immediately carried off into the nearest body of water, and it was even better if there was mud. Since then, according to the few witnesses, she has been renamed Beautiful Jeannette. A pretty name for a creature that would make the korrigans look like little angels!
Par Olivier of Aeternum
Passionate about esoteric traditions and the history of the occult from the earliest civilizations to the 18th century, I share some articles on these topics. I am also co-creator of the online esoteric shop Aeternum.
