La bte du Gvaudan

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La bête du Gévaudan

• Mythe, Légende, Réalité
• By Romy

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Une énigme

• If all the wolves had been as this wolf, they
  would have changed the history of man. Robert
  Louis Stevenson

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La province du Gévaudan

• Located in the Margeride Mountains of South
  Central France.
• Dissolved after the French Revolution.
• Area now located in the Auvergne province in the
  district of Lozère.
• Terrain- Volcanic rock, rough with boggy areas in
  low spots.

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Dans le commencement

• June of 1764
• In the Mercoire Forest near the village of
  Langogne in the eastern part of Gévaudan.
• A young girl is tending a herd of cows at a farm
  when a large beast charged from the woods and
  straight towards her. The bulls charge at the
  beast, driving it away on the second try.

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Description de la bête

• Descriptions widely varied, often exaggerated.
• Definitely wolf-like
• Size- As big as a donkey or cow.
• Wide chest, long tail, greyhound like head, large
  fangs.
• Able to make leaps as large as 30 feet.

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Méthode de la bête

• Often attacked at dusk and dawn.
• Often chose females and children (of both sexes)
  as opposed to males.
• During attacks, often went for the head rather
  than usual targets such as the legs and throat.

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L'intérêt du roi

• Took a special interest in what was going on in
  Gévaudan.
• Jean-Charles-Marc-Antoine Vaumesle d'Enneval and
  his son Jean Francois. Considered the 2 best
  hunters in France.

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PolémiqueL'extrémité de la bête

• Sogne dAuvers by Jean Chastel- local huntsman
• Party of a large hunting party that was going
  after the beast.
• As he sat and read the bible, the beast came into
  sight, staring at Chastel. Oddly enough, it
  seemed to wait for Chastel to finish his prayer
  before moving in to attack. It was then that
  Chastel aimed his gun at the beast, shooting and
  killing it.

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Théories et explications

• Rabid animal.
• Supernatural being, both of a religious and
  satanic nature.
• Serial killer(s).
• Were-wolf, wolf/dog hybrid. Some of the more
  outlandish possibilities included a hyena or a
  babboon.

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Faits intéressants

• La bête is often reported as having six claws.
  The number 6 often is associated with the Devil.
  Tool of the Devil or punishment from God?
• La bête is the noun for beast in French. It is
  feminine so the Beast of Gévaudan is almost
  always referred to as a female.

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Le Film de la Bête

• Although the motion picture Brotherhood of the
  Wolf is based on the records of the Beast of
  Gevaudan, it is primarily a fictional movie.

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Works Cited

• Labete.7hunters.net
• Wikipedia.com
• Fortunecity.com
• Newanimal.org
• Occultopedia.com