I state "five years" as the time spent looking into this report. In fact it is well over 15 years now and if you have read my last book, Mysterious and Strange Beasts, you will have read how I eventually put the pieces together -still controversial but backed up by historical records.
Here, though, is the original write up in Some More Things Strange and Sinister:
Believe me when I say that I have spent more than five years trying to find out more about this report [1]. I have scoured as many of the newspaper titles as I can from the United Kingdom at that time. However, in the early days news was received in letter form from Englishmen or travellers abroad –everything from food shortages, crime and much more. It may well be that some other newspaper also published a piece on this but it is more than likely only one did!
This is where French researchers who know the newspaper/local record system can help.
“A Letter from Nantes, dated July 19, says,
“Yesterday evening about eight o’clock, a wild
beast devoured two girls, one about twelve, and
the other seven years of age, the daughters of a
farmer in the Commune of Chevroliere. The
animal immediately after took shelter in the fo-
rest of Faudiere. It appeared to be larger than
a wolf, had a snout about a foot long, and a very
formidable set of teeth.”
Of course, folk, especially those living in the country, knew what a wolf looked like. In fact, during the severe winters of the 19th century, wolves became a huge problem with severe cold and heavy snow-falls driving them down into woods and valleys in a state of starvation. Here, though, the animal is described as a “wild beast” and it is said to have been bigger than a wolf with an almost foot long (30 cms) long snout.
Certainly no wolf, even under-nourished, would devour (not wholly I assume) two children even if small and young –running off with a body would be more like it and this did occur in France* but the child carried off was quite young. People knew what a wolf looked like.
So, if not a wolf, just what was The Beast Of Faudiere?
Reference.
1. The Caledonian Mercury, 2nd August, 1800
Some More Things Strange and Sinister
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/some-more-things-strange-sinister/paperback/product-23770998.html
Mysterious and Strange Beasts
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/mysterious-strange-beasts/paperback/product-23771024.html
Strange and Mysterious Beasts is the smaller format version -same content though
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/strange-mysterious-beasts/paperback/product-23822244.html
Here, though, is the original write up in Some More Things Strange and Sinister:
Believe me when I say that I have spent more than five years trying to find out more about this report [1]. I have scoured as many of the newspaper titles as I can from the United Kingdom at that time. However, in the early days news was received in letter form from Englishmen or travellers abroad –everything from food shortages, crime and much more. It may well be that some other newspaper also published a piece on this but it is more than likely only one did!
This is where French researchers who know the newspaper/local record system can help.
“A Letter from Nantes, dated July 19, says,
“Yesterday evening about eight o’clock, a wild
beast devoured two girls, one about twelve, and
the other seven years of age, the daughters of a
farmer in the Commune of Chevroliere. The
animal immediately after took shelter in the fo-
rest of Faudiere. It appeared to be larger than
a wolf, had a snout about a foot long, and a very
formidable set of teeth.”
Of course, folk, especially those living in the country, knew what a wolf looked like. In fact, during the severe winters of the 19th century, wolves became a huge problem with severe cold and heavy snow-falls driving them down into woods and valleys in a state of starvation. Here, though, the animal is described as a “wild beast” and it is said to have been bigger than a wolf with an almost foot long (30 cms) long snout.
Certainly no wolf, even under-nourished, would devour (not wholly I assume) two children even if small and young –running off with a body would be more like it and this did occur in France* but the child carried off was quite young. People knew what a wolf looked like.
So, if not a wolf, just what was The Beast Of Faudiere?
Reference.
1. The Caledonian Mercury, 2nd August, 1800
Some More Things Strange and Sinister
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/some-more-things-strange-sinister/paperback/product-23770998.html
Mysterious and Strange Beasts
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/mysterious-strange-beasts/paperback/product-23771024.html
Strange and Mysterious Beasts is the smaller format version -same content though
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/strange-mysterious-beasts/paperback/product-23822244.html
