La bête du Gévaudan, An Unsolved Mystery
La bête du Gévaudan, or the Beast of Gévaudan, as we call her in English is one of the most enigmatic crypto zoological mysteries. Unlike stories about werewolves and big foots however, there is an astounding body of evidence that the Beast was real with over a hundred recorded deaths. Most of the historical data about la Bête is in French and the stories and legends have not been well documented in English until just recently thanks to the work of author and retired Flyer Officer in the Armaments Branch of the Royal Air Force, Derek Brockis.
La bete was she a wolf?
Mr. Brockis visited the actual locations in France and collected many original and almost one of a kind documents painstakingly translating them to English.
With all his research however there are tantalizing mysteries that may never be answered but no doubt took place.
The province of Gévaudan is now the Lozere/Auvergne area in France and is known for its rugged terrain of sharp rocks, rugged mountain faces, inhospitable climate and boggy soil in the lower regions. The monster patrolled a wide triangular territory of about forty miles. La bête liked the marshy areas and when pursued would lead her mounted pursuers into mires which left them floundering and with no other recourse than to turn back.
Her preferred time to hunt was dusk, “the time between dog and wolf”.
Towns people reported seeing la bête suck blood from victims. Some said she decapitated and left the body still standing. She was said to be able to also spit blood over encroaching pursuers. Her "speciality" however was to rip throats out of women and children.
To this day, the mystery has never been fully resolved. Countless books have been written about the subject and the story is still told amongst families.
Now looking at all the data, and counting other similar stories about the "Chupacabra" for example, I can't help but think that there might be some similarities and that all in the end is related.
http://http://labete.7hunters.net/index.htm
A movie was also released in 2001, directed by Christophe Gans based on that story/legend.
http://http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237534/
Hope you enjoy
In love and light
SM
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