101 Days of Rougarou
A legendary Cajun monster
Louisiana is home to a rich and unique culture unlike anything else found in the United States.
I lived in the Pelican State when I was 20 years old and immediately became smitten by friendly Cajuns, diverse bayou wildlife, and delicious food. I couldn't get enough of red beans and rice, gumbo, or crawfish.
One thing that still fascinates me about Louisiana two decades after I moved away is the strange folklore. The bayou is a perfect setting for creepy spirits and monsters. The rougarou is perhaps the most common and fascinating legendary monster arising from the bayou.
A rougarou is a creature similar in some respects to a werewolf. Tales of rougarou encounters originated from French settlers in Louisiana who came from France and Canada and spread down through subsequent generations.
The rougarou traditionally prowls throughout bayous, fields, and woodlands around New Orleans and Acadiana. Eyewitnesses who claim to have laid eyes on the creature in real life often describe a rougarou as possessing a human body combined with a wolf's head or dog's head. Some variations on the legend also include a rabbit's head.
All three variations paint a truly disturbing visual image of a ferocious creature.
One fascinating aspect of the rougarou legend details how the creature is a cursed human. This unfortunate soul is under the spell of a witch and is compelled to take the form of a rougarou each night before reverting to their normal human form during the daylight hours. This curse lasts for exactly 101 days. During that time, a rougarou can spread their curse to another person by drawing their blood.
Humans afflicted with a rougarou curse can be identified by their sickly appearance during the 101 day period. They will typically withdraw to themselves and avoid interacting with other people during the day until the curse is lifted, for fear that they will be killed if they are identified as a rougarou in hiding.
The rougaru, much like vampires, has roots in Catholic mythology. According to legend, a rougaru will hunt down and slay any Catholics who refuse to follow the rules of Lent. Thus, it is a creature that doubles as an instrument of divine justice against sinners. This explains why the legend survived from generation to generation. The rougaru serves as a cautionary tale designed to inspire strict obedience from devout Catholics and to scare Cajun children into being good boys and girls.
One traditional defense against a rougarou is to lay 13 small objects at your door. When a rougarou sees the 13 objects, it will feel compelled to count each object but will not be able to count up to 13. The perplexed creature will keep recounting until the sun rises and it is forced to flee.
I enjoyed learning about this bit of Louisiana folklore so much a few years ago that I sketched out a plot summary for a future horror story based by the rougaru legend. One day, in the near future, you will have a chance to enjoy my spin on the rougaru folklore in the form of a thrilling short story, novella, or novel!
Really interesting! Never heard of this creature before. Thanks for sharing!