# What supernatural creatures are there in France, Italy, Spain, and Scandinavia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823 "2009-02-21T05:47:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/21 "2011-11-18T04:29:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Do the tales tell what befalls a traveler who grants the request? Are they blessed, or cursed? Wiki says that they ask to be buried in a churchyard but any poor sap who agrees to carry one yardwards will find the myling growing heavier and heavier until the bearer risks sinking into the ground and dying as well. Creepy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/22 "2011-11-18T16:41:09Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Beside the usual culprits of witches and _loup-garous_ (werewolves), there is always the [tarasque](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarasque) Wait, isn’t that a monster in D&D? Nah, it’s probably spelled different. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/23 "2011-11-18T17:47:13Z")
> [@Walpurgis](#): > > A similar creature is **Bäckahästen** , in some areas simply another of Näcken’s shapes. Bäckahästen is a horse who lures children to hop onto its back, so that it can run off to the nearest stream and drown them. An interesting detail is that Bäckahästen can fit any number of kids; it simply\* elongates\*. Sounds much like the Irish _aughisky_ (“water horse”). I gather that **elfkin** is looking for critters that appear (or can appear) human, though. For France, how about mandragores/mandrakes, the supposed human forms of mandrake rook? The translated passage from _Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie_ in the [mandrake Wiki article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandragore) mentions them, and they crop up in the [Monstropedia article](http://www.monstropedia.org/Mandrake#Puppets) as well. France (or Gaul, at any rate) also offers [woodwoses](http://www.monstropedia.org/Woodwose) or [dusios](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusios), wild men of the woods sometimes equated with fauns. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/24 "2011-11-18T17:48:39Z")
Nicolas Sarkozy. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/25 "2011-11-19T01:13:29Z")
According to the book, “The Unexplained; An Illustrated Guide to the World’s Natural and Paranormal Mysteries,” by noted cryptozoologist Dr. Karl P.N. Shuker, there are several French-linked myths that might fit your bill. 1. Homunculi - artificial golem-like beings created by alchemists. One was supposedly exhibited at the court of King Louis XIV by royal physician Dr. Borel. They are also reported from elsewhere in Europe, particularly Austria. 2. Werewolves - several well-documented cases in France in the 1500s. Particularly, Gilles Garnier (1573), Jacques Rollet (1598), and Jean Grenier (1604) were all accused and tried of being werewolves. According to the book, there were 30,000 werewolf trials in France between 1520 and 1630. 3. The Beast of Gevaudan - a giant wolf-like creature that terrorized the district of Lozere in south-eastern France. Known for ripping women and children to shreds. Speculation was that this was also a werewolf, but not one with a known human identity. Edit: oops, I see this one has already been mentioned. There are plenty of other beasties listed, but those are the only ones that are remotely humanoid. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/26 "2011-11-19T01:50:54Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Wait, isn’t that a monster in D&D? > > Nah, it’s probably spelled different. Yes. [And yes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrasque_%28Dungeons_%26_Dragons%29). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823/27 "2011-11-19T02:56:02Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Sounds much like the Irish _aughisky_ (“water horse”). I gather that **elfkin** is looking for critters that appear (or can appear) human, though. Or the Scottish kelpie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supernatural-creatures-are-there-in-france-italy-spain-and-scandinavia/486823.md?page=1)