Ep. 29 Howlin’ in the Bayou: The Rougarou

In this episode of Kraken Cans Cast, we dive deep into the swamps of Louisiana to uncover the legend of the Rougarou the Cajun werewolf with a hunger for mischief and mayhem. We trace its origins back to France, where it was first known as the loup-garou, and explore how French settlers brought the tale across the ocean, letting it evolve into the fearsome creature whispered about in Louisiana folklore.

How do you keep the Rougarou away? What are some of our theories about its existence? And, of course, we’ve got a wild Reddit story that might just make you think twice before wandering the bayou after dark.

Follow us on all major social media platforms @KrakenCansCast and reach out to us at KrakenCansCast@gmail.com

Transcript

Deep in the heart of Louisiana Bayou, where the cypress trees stretch their arms over still black waters, a legend lurks in the mist, a creature with the body of a man in the hunger of a beast.

Some say it walks upright beneath the Spanish moss, glowing red eyes watching from the darkness.

Others swear they heard it howl on the wind, just before it disappears into the night.

But one thing's for sure, if you hear it whisper your name, you best start running.

This is the tale of the Rougarou.

All right, everybody, welcome back to the Kraken Cans Cast, the cast we talk all things cryptid, all things urban legend, and all things just a little tiny bit spooky.

Or sometimes a lot spooky.

Sometimes it's a lot spooky.

I try not to get too spooky because then I can't go to bed at night.

And you get scared driving home.

I get scared driving home.

I get scared when I get home.

I get scared when I have to go potty in the middle of the night.

It's just it's a huge, huge thing.

So, yeah, I don't.

How do you how do you say this thing?

The Rougarou.

So this is this is like we're going down in Louisiana, right?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

And we're going down to Louisiana because we're starting to get close to Mardi Gras.

Yeah.

Mardi Gras is right around the corner.

We got like what a week for Mardi Gras from the time this is released.

Yeah.

So we're dipping our toes in there.

Even our toes.

Even our feet.

Dipping our toes in the scuzzy ass swamp water of Louisiana.

You better watch that shit because it's going to get bit right off.

It fucking better watch me.

I'm one of them gators.

Better watch me.

That's all I'm saying.

Yeah.

Your toes could probably wrangle with some of them gators.

I tried.

I can't find my toenail cutters today.

I was only have like we got like fingernail cutters and you know, the toenails are the big, the big day.

I tried cutting my toenails with the little ones, and I thought they were going to blow.

Like I need to go get a pair of safety goggles to deal with that.

That was not bad.

You like you squeeze it.

You just close your eyes and wait for it to launch.

It was like screaming, like, help me.

Yeah, I was ready.

It was ready to blow.

You need the heavy artillery for those things.

Yeah, I don't know where they got to.

More than likely, they fell behind the microwave, though.

That's where I keep them.

You cut your toes by the microwave?

I put my foot in the microwave.

Oh, OK.

That way it's sterile.

All right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So we're on.

We got werewolf on the brain.

We do.

First dive into werewolves.

First one.

First one.

And early on in the list, I had like, when we first decided we were going to do the cast, my episode four was supposed to be a werewolf.

Episode four, which my second one was supposed to be a werewolf.

And we still haven't got to that son of a bitch yet.

We'll get there someday.

We got years.

Years and years of this stuff.

We're just building this thing right now.

We're just building it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

So we got a pretty stout bruski today, I would say.

Oh, yeah.

It's definitely a stout one.

How's your cholesterol doing?

I guess it's all right.

Still high.

That's what I'm taking that.

Still high.

I mean, I'm down 10 pounds since January 12th.

Down 10 pounds.

Cholesterol is up 10 points.

It's giving a take, you know?

It's like the stock market.

It's a yin and a yang.

Stock market.

Something goes up, something else has to go down.

Yeah.

So I'm going to buy all stock and something, and hopefully we'll win.

My cholesterol is looking great because I'm getting fat as shit lately.

So I'm freaking good.

I'm freaking good.

My cholesterol is A-OK.

Just don't ask my doctor.

I don't want to get that shit checked.

That's why I was scared to go.

Yeah.

I surprisingly have good blood pressure, cholesterol, all that stuff.

Lately, my blood pressure has been tested because my middle kid would just not go to bed at night.

And he figured out he could open the door to his room.

So he put one of those little plastic balls you put on.

Oh yeah.

We got one upstairs.

Yeah.

And then he just sits in there and just loses his freaking mind because he can't open it.

I was in there with him and he wanted to get out to go see his mom.

He spun that plastic on that doorknob at least 3,482 times.

And it wasn't even like an aggressive spin.

It was just like, are you?

Did you just get to you?

Like eventually, if I just keep spinning this, eventually this doorknob is just going to fall off.

And I honestly thought he was getting close.

Well, hold on.

I was speaking of one of those little door safety knobby things.

Nobbies.

Whatever you want to call it.

My oldest, I think when he was four, he figured out he ate one.

No, he realized he couldn't like turn it to get in.

So he took it off and then opened the door.

Yeah, that's pretty.

And they're not hard to take off.

Like they're super easy.

He figured that right away.

He's like, I'll just take it off.

So he just takes it off and then opens the door.

I'm like, son of a bitch.

We had it in my daughter's room because like in my daughter's room is actually where our attic door is.

The one that she had been sleeping in this room for two and a half, three years, we mentioned something about an attic.

And she just looked at me and said, our house doesn't have an attic.

Yeah, it actually does.

I think, no, I've never seen our attic before.

It's like you sleep like six foot away from our attic door every single night.

I assure you, our house has an attic.

I make sure to put like a bunch of books and stuff stacked there in case the boogeyman comes from the attic.

You gotta watch that shit.

The boogeyman is gonna come from somewhere under your bed, closet, attic, bang.

He didn't come from the basement.

No, that's too long.

Honestly, he ain't coming from my basement because it's full of cat puke piles everywhere down there.

I stepped in one today.

I stepped in it so solid.

That I lifted my foot up and there was no cat puke pile there because the entire thing was on my sock.

Dude, I lost my freaking mind.

I just took it off and threw it over at the washing machine.

Then I yelled at the cat who wasn't anywhere around.

I was so mad.

I would have threw it right in the trash.

I was so mad.

I would have pulled a jelly roll.

I can't do it, man.

Socks are just...

I would have pulled a jelly roll.

I wear socks till they just blow.

You know what a jelly roll does?

It has high cholesterol.

So you do pull a jelly roll.

Yeah, you do.

Yeah, he probably...

He lost some weight.

But, nah, dude, that guy every day, he puts on a brand new pair of socks and a brand new T-shirt.

At the end of the day, he throws it in the garbage.

Yeah, that's what happens when you're a millionaire, though, too.

You know, like, I can't do that.

Yeah, that's true.

Salvation Army would just hate seeing me come because I'm not buying fresh ones.

They sell them at Dollar General.

Shirts?

Socks.

Socks?

Yeah.

That's why I need some DG socks.

That would be better.

How is that better than just washing and just re-wearing your socks?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Cat puke?

Yuck.

Yeah.

Big Jelly Roll fan, this guy.

It's going to be easy replacing the M&M poster.

So, Corey, what do we got to drink tonight?

So, tonight, we got Fener's Rage from Evergrain Brewing Company, which is a collaboration with Wolf Brewing Company.

I don't really look too much into them, but I'm sure they're a nice little establishment.

Yeah, they're high, I think.

I mean, Wolf, Wolf Brewing Company, that's the name.

It's the name.

What were we getting?

Like...

Were you burped?

Oh, yeah, dude.

Holy shit.

I think stout.

Oh, that's a, that's a sketchy burp, my bad.

Wow, that thing hit me hard.

I think my eyes are watering, actually.

Okay.

It came from deep.

It was like way, it was close to like...

Coming out as a poop.

It was right under my belly button is where it started.

Yeah, that was either going to be a fart or a burp, and you pulled that from being a fart.

Yeah, I brought it the long way.

Yeah.

There were shortcuts.

There were no shortcuts in this house.

No.

All right, so where were we?

Beer.

So this bad boy is a 9.75% triple IPA.

Damn!

I think it's our second triple.

I think we just had the...

The OG, our first ever episode, we dove into the triple.

I don't think we've done a triple since then.

The triple cannon.

We're hitting all high ones to start, but we backed off a little bit, I think, since...

Yeah, and then Corey just had to totally redeem that.

But this is like...

Like you pointed out before this, this is kind of like a fake triple.

It is.

It's like alcohol-wise, definitely a double.

It's like a very low-end alcohol-y triple, if you want to say that.

Yeah, like I think double-digit alcohol for a triple, and this does not hit it.

Which, I was actually having this conversation with my brother-in-law the other day, the one with the big head.

Big head, nasty feet.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Yeah, we're talking about you.

When you're on your beer run, you'll hear this with doubles and triples and stuff.

I'm pretty sure, and somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it not just about the alcohol?

Isn't it also how many times it's like, so what I'm looking for with beer, like fermented or something?

Doesn't that have to do with the doubles and triples too?

I don't think it's just all the alcohol, is it?

No, I think it's mostly just the alcohol.

I thought there was another piece that makes it a double or a triple.

No, it just has more malt and everything.

That's why a lot of the doubles and triples kind of have that sweeter taste, because they actually finish it with some sugar to try and get the extra fermentation in it.

Because the only reason I ask that, though, is because there's some doubles that have more alcohol than triples.

Right, and there's no specific range.

Yeah, there's no-

It's just weird.

I feel like I got to look into that more.

Yeah, but I think it's solely on alcohol, is what the double and triple.

Because I never actually looked into it.

I just was talking at my butt, just trying to think of-

Makes it all ferment the same.

I mean, obviously, like a double or triple might have more yeast added to the fermentation process because it has more sugar and everything, but-

Anyway, so-

Evergrain Brewing Company is out of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

That's where they fought the Gettysburg.

I'm not going to talk too much about the brewery, but basically, it was opened by lifelong friends, Norm and Larry, who opened the company in 2016.

They do the-

You get two names, Norm and Larry.

They sound like they throw some beer back.

A Norm and a Larry.

Like I think a Norm from Cheers, you know?

I was thinking like Chuck and Larry.

Chuck and Larry.

Yeah, that's not what I was thinking that way.

But I like where your mind's at, I guess.

Larry, Larry.

Yeah, Larry and Larry.

Anywho.

Anywho.

I'm not sure where Corey's at today.

I'm not sure.

Our mission is to quench the thirst of our beer community with continually evolving fresh ideas and a constant drive for the highest quality product.

And I saw that they actually, they opened a farm back in 2019, where they pride themselves on using only the freshest local Pennsylvania ingredients.

Like, ingredients to their beers are from Pennsylvania, what they can get here.

So I thought that was pretty cool.

So can I hit you with a quick double IPA versus triple IPA?

I looked at it while you were talking.

Yeah.

So double IPAs obviously have more hops involved than regular IPAs, and triples have even more than that.

The alcohol content is the main difference, and doubles actually go to 10.6, and triples go from 10.6 up.

Then why is this called a triple?

Yeah, I don't know.

That's the part I like.

You know what I mean?

That's the part I'm like...

Yeah.

But yeah, that's all it is, just alcohol.

There's no governing body that says...

Somebody's like, I'm going to call this a double, or I'm going to call this a triple.

Or they made a double, and it's like, heck yeah, that got to like 9%, but we're adding more to it.

So obviously, this is a triple, because we can't just make it a double-double.

Yeah, it'd be a quadruple.

Damn.

Damn.

Damn.

That's just one of those life questions.

That gave me a triple damn.

That's a triple damn IPA.

Triple damn.

So the reason I obviously picked this beer is because-

Because it's 9.75% alcohol.

That was the reason number two.

I just didn't tell you that until you cracked her open and looking at the can.

But this beer has a nice picture of a wolf on the front.

And I don't know if you guys, I mean, some of y'all nerds might know this, but I didn't.

But Fenrer, Fenrer is a wolf in Norse mythology, and it's actually Loki's son.

That dude banged a wolf.

Yeah.

I mean, he's shape-shift, so he probably shape-shifted into a wolf.

He banged a wolf regardless.

But he was a wolf.

He still banged a wolf.

Yeah.

Yeah.

As a wolf.

Still banged a wolf.

I guess.

Yeah.

So I put that, this beer can be seen as a reflection of the ferociousity and untamed power of the Rougarou.

And just as Fenrir, the massive wolf from Norse mythology, is consumed by rage and fury, the Rougarou embodies a similar wild bloodthirsty energy that rages through the forest and bayous.

Both figures are driven by an insatiable thirst, whether it's Fenrir's destructive rage or the Rougarou's bloodlust, making them forceful and unstoppable.

So drinking this son of a bitch and beer right here, could symbolize embracing that wild spirit, like invoking the beast within, or tapping into a fury so intense it cannot be tamed.

Similar to the bloodthirsty hunt of the Rougarou, prowling the night.

Both represent an untapped primal energy that's both all-inspiring and terrifying.

Yeah, and can I say, I think this is an all-black can.

Like the top of the can, the tab, everything.

I like that.

This is blacked out.

The bottom's not.

Well, no one looks down there.

Yeah, nobody looks at the bottom half.

No, just look at the top.

Yeah, looks pretty good.

It's a badass can.

Yeah, it is cool.

For sure.

Do you like me some wolfs?

Wolfs.

I like some tiki's too.

Yeah, I do.

Don't let them fool you.

He likes wolfs and tiki's.

That's his man.

I'm going to get a tiki wolf tattoo next.

Oh, damn.

Right after we get that Kraken Cans tattoo on our butt cheeks.

One year.

Yeah.

So my wife said when she had one too many beers, and I'm not ever bringing that up again, and Heavens and Betsy knows she's not going to hear this episode till long after that.

Long after we have two tattoos of the cast, baby.

So let's cheers on that.

Yeah.

Oh, that was a good clink.

That was a good clink.

I'm going to tell you, though, this beer has definitely gotten better since I've been drinking it.

I mean, most beers do.

Most beers do.

Yeah, this thing is boozy, though.

It is.

It is boozy.

It's good, though.

I'm just not a fan of triples.

Yeah, like, high-end doubles, triples, I'm just not...

It's just not my...

I think they get...

They just get this, like, sweetness to them, almost.

Yeah.

I just feel like...

Because they have so much sugar in them to hit that alcohol.

You just taste it.

I like them for the fact, if you're going to, like, a nice little party with the family, you could just get, you know, a four-pack of doubles.

Yeah, you could do that.

And, like, you're good.

That's it.

That's how it is.

Yeah, you could do that.

That's true.

Christmas Eve, you know, my wife's like, hey, I'm like, don't worry, I'm only bringing a six-pack.

Yeah, and I'm only bringing as a six-pack.

I tell her, I'm only bringing one change of pants, and that's how she knows how much I'm drinking that night.

Oh, you just pull a jelly roll.

Yeah.

With my pants, my underwear.

Yeah, throw it all out.

Let's dive in.

Let's dive in.

So with that.

Don't start your shit.

All right.

So let's hear, let's just hear the intro into the Rigatoni.

I think that's how it's pronounced.

Rigatoni?

Close.

Yeah.

The Rougarou.

Rougarou.

I can hear, like I worked with a couple, like, caging guys when I was down in Arkansas, and I can, like, hear them saying this.

Saying this?

Yeah.

Because they have, like, a really distinct, like, Oh, yeah.

way to walk down there.

Yeah, it just.

Yeah.

They're weird, too.

Are they?

Yeah, strange people down there.

I mean, if you're from down there, that's good for you.

That's normal if you're from down there.

I don't mean just the way they talk, though.

I just mean they're they're they're weird.

Yeah.

Remember this one guy I worked with?

He had a he had I feel like I'm going to sound like like Theo Vaughn going on this song tangent.

It's like, man, I knew a guy down there, man.

And that dude, like when they used to go to his cabin, they used to have a cat down there and they named that cat dog because they would just throw a stick out there and that cat would go out in the creek and get it.

True story.

I feel like he said that.

I feel like Theobald said that.

It sounds like something he would say.

I feel like he said that.

This is a straight up story I heard 10 years ago from Akun Astrum down in the deep, deep Cajun country.

Damn, the deep, deep south.

So we're going to dig a little bit into the rigatoni here, but not we're not going to dig into it too deep because we're going to we're going to do some other little side quests.

Whatever, man.

Just let's hear it.

All right.

Beating around that bush, man.

Let's do it.

All right.

So the Rougarou, also known as the Swamp Werewolf.

Damn.

Which I think that's a badass nickname.

Yeah.

Why would you go with Rougarou if you could go with Swamp Werewolf?

You can go hang out with the Boo Hag and be the Swamp Witch with the Swamp Werewolf.

That seems like a good episode of Scooby Doo right there.

It does, yeah.

Would have got away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids.

Meddling kids and your dog.

And your stupid dog.

So the Rougarou lives in the Swamp Lands of Louisiana and stands between seven and eight feet tall.

And parents often tell stories about this once human, wolf-like shape-shifting creature who walks on two legs in order to scare them into making curfew.

Pretty much the biggest thing that the Rougarou is used for is just scaring their kids into doing the right thing most of the time.

You know, just like a lot of other urban legends.

Diving into the urban legend territory for sure.

Yeah, it's like, you know, if you don't do this, this is going to happen.

This guy, this swamp monster is going to come eat you and rip you out and skin you.

Yeah, if you don't scrub your ass, then the toilet monster is going to just jump up through there and scrub it for you.

Rip your anus right through you.

Make pizza cheese out of it for the Ninja Turtles.

That's like if you, what, if you flush on a cruise ship or something, sitting on the toilet on a cruise ship.

Yeah, or an airplane.

Yeah, it's like you ripped your ass right inside out.

Well, yeah, there's no signs about that.

There isn't, no.

Yeah.

I don't know who started that shit.

So yeah, they would tell their children that this beast would eat them, you know, hunt them down, eat them if they weren't back inside before dark.

Damn.

So pretty much it was just used as a big time scare tactic.

Yeah.

And then obviously over time, just like every other urban legend story, cryptid, whatever you want to say, typically over time, the story changes to fit that time period, the modern times, you know, and whatnot.

So this Cajun legend evolved over time to fit with, you know, Louisiana and just that landscape with the swamps and stuff, and bayous, and the Chudems.

Yeah, I met one of the swamp people when I was down there.

Yeah, I was working way down.

You fixed one of their telephone poles.

No, he was just going into a gas station we were going into.

But it was, what is it, Jay Paul.

Is that the one that's like an MMA fighter or whatever?

Yeah, but his old man that has the long-haired, it was his dad's the one that we met.

Oh, okay.

He's a cool guy.

He was happy we were down there fixing some shit.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's crazy.

Dude, I remember driving down this road, and a lot of places just have little bridges over canals and stuff.

And I'm telling you, there was a six-foot gator just right next to somebody's driveway we went past.

Just hanging out.

Culture shock for us, you know?

Yeah.

I don't know.

Maybe that's what people aren't used to seeing deer when they see them around here.

It's like, I don't know.

It's like, damn.

Yeah.

Like, ain't no deer eating my dog, though.

I was eating a dog.

Yeah.

Man, I remember this one time.

There was this fella, man, way down south there, man.

How much further?

I was going to say, I thought you were already down there.

How much further south we get?

All right.

All right.

I got to get on.

That was me going to my...

I might be on like a Theo Vaughn, because he's from Louisiana.

Might be hitting like a Theo Vaughn.

Like, yeah, man.

You know what I'm saying?

So where did this whole story originate at?

The word Rougarou is derived from the French word.

You ready for this?

Lougarou.

Lougarou.

Yeah, that's daddy.

Which translates to werewolf.

So that's how you say werewolf in French.

Yeah, I mean, it's probably, you know, you probably got to like, you know, do stuff with your tongue and change the accent and stuff a little bit.

It's like, oh, we're gonna roll.

Dude, we've been hitting French hard these past couple of weeks.

Yeah, we're gonna be digging into some French shit tonight, too.

Yeah, we got French last week.

We got French this week.

We got French coming at you next week.

Yeah.

Damn.

Damn.

God damn.

So though the idea of the werewolves, the Rougarou, has been passed down from previous generations, it really took form in the 16th century.

So during the 16th century in France, the Rougarou was often blamed for various crimes and unexplained events that couldn't be solved, which is what you typically hear in, you know, with like the Kraken, when, you know, sailors would go missing, it was the Kraken.

You know, this is, you know, little Jan from next door goes missing.

Oh shit.

You know, it wasn't Jack the Ripper.

It was the Rougarou.

Yeah.

So like they would use that for a lot of different unsolved shit.

You see, they figure out who Jack the Ripper was.

I saw that, but I didn't really look to see who it was.

I saw they figured it out.

Dude, basically, it was just some like freak.

I think it was a Polak guy over there.

But yeah, they like threw all the ancestry and stuff.

They were able to track down the DNA.

I don't know.

It's the whole thing.

I'm not going to get into it because I didn't read the article super clear.

Yeah, I read the heading.

I read the heading and they're like, oh, cool.

Yeah, it was just some like Polak immigrant.

I don't know.

I don't even I don't totally know if he was even a suspect through the whole thing.

But interesting.

Many believe that humans could be cursed or transformed into wolves or wolf like creatures, often as a punishment for sins or wrongdoings.

I need no punishment, though.

A wolf would be bad ass.

Fucking right.

Yeah.

Ain't no punishment, you know what I mean?

Yeah.

Like, if I'd punish like if you had to punish somebody and you'd just give them like one thing.

To like turn into?

Yeah, turn into.

But it can't be like a bug or something like a mouse or anything.

It's got to be like like a decent size mammal.

I think it would suck to be like a groundhog.

Yeah, groundhogs.

People just shooting at you.

Or, yeah, skunk.

I feel like if I was a skunk, I'd just always be running away from myself.

Like that's why they move the way they do, because they're always trying to get away from their ass.

Yeah.

Yeah, that would suck.

Groundhog, skunk.

Or a hybrid of...

I'll just stop.

Okay.

Just let you go.

All right.

The idea of the Rougarou was often intertwined with fears of witchcraft, the supernatural, and a general distrust of outsiders or individuals who behave differently.

People thought that certain men and sometimes women could shapeshift into wolves, and during full moons, they could transform and commit terrible acts.

This reminds me of when we got into the urban legend of the Candy Lady, because one of the things is like the weirdo on the block.

They always consider that being like the candy lady type, you know?

It's just the outcast or the person that people don't understand.

There has to be something wrong with it.

Yeah, like they're a wolf or they're a witch.

Yeah, they can be doing absolutely just going to live their life just totally different.

And that's OK.

But now there's got to be something wrong with them.

Yeah.

And then like back then, too, like everybody just like jumped on board and believed it.

Oh, hell yeah.

Like, yeah, you're saying they're a werewolf.

Well, hell yeah.

Then it must be a werewolf.

They figure you can't Google it.

I never heard of a werewolf, but that shit sounds like it could be real.

Yeah.

I don't want any part of that.

Yeah.

So at that time, then people started accusing others of being werewolves and they would have to go to trial.

How you go to a werewolf trial?

You got to stand here in front of me while the full moon comes up.

Yeah.

And then this was intertwined with the witch trials going on in the same time period.

So the witch trials are going on in the US at this time.

And also in that area as well.

Okay.

Witch trials are going on in other countries too.

So this is a world wide thing where the witch trials are going on.

Yeah.

And also werewolf trials.

Okay.

Yeah.

So it's pretty interesting just how, like you said, an outsider walks through a village, or maybe spends a couple hours there and, oh, he's acting strange, like werewolf.

Yeah.

It's like John Rambo in the first Rambo movie, where he's just hitchhiking through.

And it's like, man, I just want to pass by and get some D.

My boy, you better get out of our town.

And he just goes for Rambo and just kills it.

Yeah.

That's...

Rambo could be werewolf.

I could see it.

Could be werewolf.

That would make sense.

I'll get behind it.

Yeah.

He'd be a badass werewolf.

Freaking right.

Now, I'm going to tell you about the story of Michel Verdun.

Oh, roll it a little bit more.

Verdun.

Verdun.

There you go.

I like it.

Michel Verdun and Pierre Bourgo.

Oh, Pierre.

Is one of the earliest and most notable cases in the history of werewolf trials in France.

Their trials, which took place in 1521, is often cited as one of the first instances where someone was publicly accused, tried, and executed for being a Rougarou.

Damn, they lost.

Yeah, they lost.

That must have been a hairy MFer.

It's like, I'm looking at you, you got a crazy ass beard, and it's growing all over the place.

You got to be a werewolf.

Yeah.

Like, how else do you prove guilt of a werewolf?

Yeah.

Besides just a hairy individual in front of you.

I don't know.

So these two gentlemen were both shepherds and told their story in trial that they were met one night by three men on horses dressed in black.

The leader of the men made a deal that if they took him as their master, he would give them money and protect their livestock.

Because they were constantly worried about wolves coming to eat their sheep.

Makes sense.

So they agreed and they participated in a ceremony where they were initiated into this cult, is what I'm going to say.

The only requirement was that they had to renounce their religion, avoid attending church, and never speak of anything related to the church or teachings again.

I'm losing my religion.

And during this initiation, they also had to bathe in an ointment that supposedly changed them into savage beasts.

Also, they didn't get bit or nothing.

This is just-

This is like a magic ointment.

Okay.

So, I just picture like all these like perverted old guys standing around a circle watching these two dudes just get naked and-

Yeah.

Lather up each other with this magical ointment.

I don't know why I pictured the ointment being like in a small tub.

And I just imagine one of them like running and be like, Hannibal!

And just dumping it.

Yeah.

Well, yeah, I could see that.

Just a bunch of old, just old ass perverts just being like, Oh, yeah, make sure you lather good under your armpits.

Get in there nice and deep, like.

Yeah, get into your gooch area.

Get in there between your balls and your butthole.

Exactly.

Yes.

You know, that's how it went.

Yeah, it's definitely.

It wasn't anything cool.

No, no, it is cool.

It's super cool, actually.

Like, I don't know how you could like how that could be cool.

Like, how could you like legit make that cool?

Like you're lathering on ointment.

I feel like any way you look at it.

Let's just agree to disagree.

I think it's cool when you think it's not.

If we're getting taint area with ointment and stuff.

Yeah, if they're that hairy to begin with, man, it's hard to rub in ointment when you're pretty hairy.

Yeah, I'm not.

Are you a hairy guy under?

I'm pretty f'ing hairy.

Yeah, I'm not hairy at all.

I'm I'm real hairy.

Yeah.

So I don't I don't know the struggles of getting like back dinkle berries and stuff.

Yeah, it's not fun.

Especially sun sunscreen in the summer.

Yeah, I don't know.

We're just going to rub in.

I don't know.

Yeah, it just doesn't rub in.

Because the hair just slicks everything back.

Yeah, got a got a mohawk going on back there.

Yeah.

Oh, shit.

It's funny.

So after they bathed in this ointment and did their cool stuff, they then went on a killing spree that involved tearing apart multiple children, women, and whoever they could find.

Damn.

That's going to be that's going to be my quote of the episode.

Damn.

Damn.

Who are you?

Ron Simmons?

Damn.

They love the taste of warm blood that caused them to continue killing.

And then my boy Verdun or Verdun.

Verdun.

I feel like if you say something French, and you're not quite sure if you said it right, this is what you throw at the end of it, right?

It's like, Verdun.

Oh.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Then you know it's just nailed.

Because at first it's like, oh, shit, is that French?

Is that English?

What is it?

And then you throw that on air.

Oh, it must be French.

Okay, it's French.

And let me get my baguette.

Hold on.

Yeah.

So Vardun was found.

So this guy was found when he attempted to kill a person who was traveling.

I don't know if they were like out, you know, traveling the countryside.

Were these guys not hunting together at this point?

No, it was okay.

Like this was like, I don't think this was this wasn't the same day.

Like they took the ointment and stuff.

This was like another day.

Yeah.

So they just they just kind of went off to their own thing.

Off to their own thing.

So, so I guess Verduin.

Uh, so he was found when he attempted to kill a person who was traveling.

And I guess this traveler apparently wounded Verduin, who was in wolf form.

Van Helsen is who he decided to attack.

Like that was a good idea.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So he was in wolf.

He was in wolf form.

So I guess as a wolf, he tried like attacking this traveler and the traveler, I don't know what I don't know what he wounded him with.

Uh, it could have been anything really.

Yeah.

There's only so I mean, it's not like he has like, I'm assuming it was like the musket or a crossbow or a knife.

That's about it.

Yeah.

Brass knuckles.

He just beat the shit out of him.

I don't know.

No AK.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No automatics or just not even like a Glock or anything like that.

So he wounded him.

Wounded him.

What if he just insulted him and it's just like, hey man, that cuts deep.

Yeah.

You're like, you're the smallest wolf I've ever seen.

Or like, you're the friendliest son of a bitch.

It looks like you got a dinkle berry on your chin.

And he's just like, hey man, ow.

Yeah.

That's all right.

Yeah.

Then he went to squealing away.

He just turned into like the biggest sissy of a wolf.

Yeah.

I'm telling my dad.

Yeah.

So after he wounded Virdun, who was in wolf form, followed the bloody trail to Virdun's home.

And inside the home, once he got there, I guess Virdun, now in human form, was being bathed by his wife, my wife.

My wife, yes.

Who was cleaning the wound.

Supposedly, she was cleaning the same area, whatever wound that this traveler dude inflicted when he was a wolf.

It does make you wonder what his weapon was that he did this with.

Yeah.

I don't know.

I mean, there's only so many possibilities.

I'm guessing it was like a sword or a knife or something.

Yeah, or like a dagger.

Yeah.

Something like that.

Yeah.

I think it was probably with numchucks.

Numchucks?

Ooh.

He knocked them out with a numchuck.

I'm going to guess hand grenade.

Hand grenade.

That's probably it.

Yeah.

Just a freaking hand grenade.

Yeah.

You son of a bitch.

Yeah.

Just wounded him with it, though.

He carries a...

Trapnel got him.

He just carries it.

I always carry a hand grenade just for case I get attacked by a werewolf.

Yeah.

Brick, where'd you get a hand grenade?

Don't worry about it.

He's like, I don't know.

So then, when convicted, so at trial, he was convicted.

And then I guess he snitched.

Oh, what a rat.

He snitched on his friend, Burgaux.

Oh, man, that's not cool.

He was also a werewolf.

Well, why would you do that?

What do you have to...

It's not like they're going to like, hey, we won't kill you if you tell us other werewolves.

But I guess that was common, even with like the witch trials and stuff.

It was common to like...

Because I guess they thought that if they threw other people under the bus...

That they would get out of jail free card.

Yeah.

And I think, I mean, granted, there's all kinds of different varieties of this story.

But I saw in some of the varieties that there was like a third dude involved in this, too.

Third dude.

That he threw under the bus as well.

It probably wasn't even like...

He probably wasn't even involved with these two.

It was just like their mailman or something.

What a bitch.

He's probably sitting in the courtroom.

He's like, Johnny's a werewolf as well.

Johnny's like, and then he went over and grabbed him.

Yeah.

He's one of the guys.

He was a juror.

He's like, that guy right there with the mustache.

It's like, who me?

I don't know.

Who are you?

Yeah.

Then he just grabbed him and then he just threw him up there with him.

It's like hell.

Because back then, you figure there's no TV, no computer, no iPhones, none of that.

The best source of entertainment is a trial and a good old-fashioned hanging.

Yeah.

That's it.

I mean, I would have been down there if I was one of the town's people.

I would have.

Hell yeah.

Yeah.

Hell yeah.

Like, I wonder if you try and get a souvenir from it.

Yeah.

Like, try and grab some hair or something.

OK.

Yeah.

I wonder if they caught up the rope and give it off.

No, they probably don't.

They probably just reuse it until it breaks.

Once it breaks, though.

Yeah.

Then it's free game.

Yeah, it's free game.

So, yeah, they were all convicted, executed, and burned at the steak.

Well, they were burned, so they weren't even hung.

No, they were burned.

So I see.

I don't think like I don't think going to see a good burning would be as good as a hanging because I feel like a good burning would ruin my dinner.

The smell of like human hair burn.

And I don't know.

I don't think I'd be like super inclined.

I would have to eat first.

Yeah, which I would.

Yeah.

You make sure there's a big hanging tonight.

Make sure you guys get your dinner before you come down to the town square.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Bar free barbecue afterwards.

It's like you sons of bitches.

I know what you're doing.

Yeah.

So this story here, like I said, it was like one of the first supposedly like in France with like the the werewolf stuff going on.

But there was a lot of other stories like this one of people being accused, tried and executed for being a werewolf during this time.

And the French believe that the Rougarou was someone who made a pact with the devil or was being punished for their sins.

It was strongly pushed that if someone did not follow Lent, they would turn into a Rougarou as well.

So it was big like religious thing too.

So if you didn't even like fish, you're just screwed.

Yeah.

Sorry, I had a little piece of beef on Friday.

Yeah.

I was like, yeah.

You know who else had beef?

Yeah.

The Rougarou.

The Rougarou.

Yeah.

And then I didn't really write this down or anything, but I saw it somewhere where eventually the werewolf trials ended because at some point, people were just like, this is dumb.

Yeah, they were like, this is dumb.

Basically, yeah, they're like, this is dumb.

We have no proof for any of this.

Yeah, they're like, you're good.

They just stopped.

Could you imagine, you're my neighbor, and we have a dispute over land, so I just run to the judge, and it's like, yeah, I know we're disputing over land.

This has nothing to do with it.

He turned into a werewolf and tried to eat one of my sheep last night, so I think we need to go ahead and just burn him at the stage.

Yeah.

Then they burned me, and then you're going over, removing the fence, and like...

Yeah, banging your wife.

That's how it would go.

Just saying.

Yeah, now you got all this land.

Yeah.

Got all this land.

I got all these wives, my wives everywhere.

All these kids.

Yeah.

Damn.

Three is enough for me, kids-wise and wives-wise.

Yeah.

French settlers brought this tradition with them from France to Louisiana, and over time, the tradition of the Lougarou blended with Native American beliefs and other local folklore, all combined to create the Rougarou.

The Rougarou.

So how did we get from-

The Lougarou to the Rougarou?

Yes.

Honestly, everywhere-

It's like you knew it was coming.

Well, the name, like I-

So I tried looking up specifically the name, because it's like, okay, it's not that different, but like why, like what the hell, like why couldn't they just call it the Lougarou?

And honestly, I couldn't really find a like definitive answer.

The thing that I found probably the most is just that it changed to that just to fit the Cajun dialect.

That makes sense.

Yeah.

So and it has a better Rougarou.

That just sounds so Cajun.

Yeah.

I don't know what it is.

It's easier for them to say.

It flows off the tongue, I guess, basically.

Damn freaking Cajun bastards.

Yeah.

So there are a few different versions of this tale, just like any other legend.

However, besides hunting and killing those that don't follow Lent, the Rougarou also-

Rougarou.

Rougarou.

Rougarou.

That is a good chant.

Yeah.

It's like, it's right before like somebody's head gets chopped off.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Or the Mighty Ducks beat Iceland in the finals in the shootout.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's cool.

Yeah.

Go Charlie.

And in some versions, it's said that when someone becomes a Rougarou, whether through a curse or some other supernatural means, they are forced to live as a werewolf for 101 days.

101 days.

Yeah.

101.

Okay.

Yeah.

Because 100 just isn't quite enough.

Yeah.

And after these 101 days...

They kiss a frog and become a prince.

The curse is supposed to end, and the person can return to their normal life.

However...

Oh, that doesn't sound that bad.

However, there's often a catch.

If the person does not manage to pass the curse onto someone else during this period, they will remain a Rougarou forever.

Forever.

And I just assume this curse is...

It's a sexually transmitted curse.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

So the Rougarou has got to have sex with somebody.

Yeah.

Or tongue action.

Oh.

Damn.

Also...

No, biting too.

Oh, yeah.

That makes sense.

They can pass this curse on from biting.

Yeah, that makes sense.

Yeah.

Biting each other.

I don't know about bodily fluids, but could happen.

There's a lot of biting goes into sexual foreplay, so it makes sense.

Yeah.

Okay.

Really.

So the Rougarou is also used, like I said, early on as a boogeyman type creature to frighten children into behaving or else they will be eaten by the Rougarou, which that's typically the legend, what it is down south really is it's like that.

And in Louisiana, especially in the Cajun culture, the Rougarou is often seen as a creature of the swamps and bayous, lurking in the dense woods and marshlands.

And in these versions, the Rougarou is typically a wild beast whose how can be.

Who's how can be heard echoing through the swamp at night?

So like that version doesn't focus so much on like the curse aspect, but rather on the mystery and danger of the creature, making it more akin to a cryptid or a supernatural predator.

Yeah, that makes sense.

So it's just like, you know, the Rougarou's out there, like, you know, don't go out there at night, or, you know, it's going to get you.

So what does it look like?

Seen as a creature of the Bayou.

The Rougarou is a towering monstrous creature standing and menacing seven to eight feet tall.

Standing seven, eight foot tall, coming from the Bayou's of Louisiana, weighing approximately 482 pounds.

The Rougarou.

And the crowd's like, Rougarou, Rougarou, Rougarou.

Yeah.

You just hear a howl.

And here comes the music playing.

Dun dun dun dun dun.

And there comes a bunch of town folk chasing him because they want to burn him at the stake, apparently.

All goes together.

Hell yeah.

It all flows.

Hell yeah.

Typically, he has a muscular frame.

Like me?

That I don't know why you laughed.

That hurt my feelings a little bit that you laughed that quickly at that.

I just chuckled.

You chuckled.

But I wasn't making a joke.

Okay.

He also has raw overwhelming power.

Just like me.

His body is cloaked in a thick-

You're lucky on that one.

You didn't laugh.

Jet black fur.

That's not me.

They call me the big redster.

The big redster.

That's what everybody calls me.

The black fur covers it from head to toe, giving it an almost beastly primal appearance.

A terrifying human-wolf hybrid.

The Rougarou boasts the ferocity of a wolf combined with a superhuman strength man.

Or as people would just like, I-

some people say superhuman strength.

I just say Mike strength.

You are-

never mind.

Making it an unstoppable force of nature.

Unstoppable.

Man, this-

there's a chance that I could be a Rougarou.

Just keep reading.

Keep reading your paper over there.

Just wipe my tongue.

Just keep reading your paper over there.

I have a lot of stuff I want to say.

Keep reading your paper over there.

It would probably have to get cut.

Yeah.

Has very sharp claws and jagged teeth that glisten in the moonlight, ready to tear through flesh with terrifying precision.

Glowing red eyes pierce the darkness.

Glowing red eyes.

Man, these things love having red eyes.

I know.

Everything has red eyes.

I know.

And it has enhanced hearing, superhuman sight, and a keen sense of smell.

The Rougarou is a relentless hunter capable of detecting its prey from miles away.

And it's aggressive, bloodthirsty, and it's nocturnal.

Well, yeah, it's got to wait to a good full moon, you know?

Yeah.

And then every movement of the Rougarou is powered by pure strength and instinct, making it a deadly predator in the shadowed wilderness.

It is a creature of terror, a force of nature that strikes fear into the heart of anyone unlucky enough to encounter it.

That's right.

I don't see what's wrong with this creature.

I don't see why he was persecuted to begin with.

No, I mean, I wonder if they sell them at the pet store.

I don't know.

This guy, these guys seem badass.

I like them.

Yeah.

Come in.

I want to look and see if we can adopt one from the black market.

Yeah.

We can put them over with Dale's letter boxes.

Yeah.

Fine over there.

Yeah.

Dale will show it to who's boss.

Freaking right.

So where does this thing live?

I mean, we already kind of talked about that.

Louisiana.

Louisiana.

Down in the Bayou, bud.

Yeah.

The swamps, particularly, especially in the central and eastern parts of the state.

Cajun country or Acadiana.

I don't know.

You live down there that way.

I didn't live in Louisiana.

You lived down that way.

Dude, I actually had my original job offer to go down there was deep in Louisiana territory, like St.

Charles, which is deep in the southern.

I remember when I looked it up, it was a 22-hour drive from here, or 20-hour drive from here.

It's going to be some trucking.

Well, Kendra and I drove down to New Orleans on a road trip.

Yeah, it's further than that.

Yeah.

Because it's further, it's more towards Houston.

That was a long drive.

Yeah.

So I could imagine.

Oh, yeah.

And then as well as like New Orleans area.

New Orleans.

And it can also-

As us locals call it, New Orleans.

As us locals, yeah.

New Orleans.

Could also be found in the sugarcane fields and woodlands of the region.

Dude, those sugarcane fields are thick.

How thick are we talking?

Like bamboo, they look like when you're going through them.

How thick are bamboo fields?

Yeah, you've never seen bamboo?

I know what bamboo looks like.

That's what I'm saying.

People have bamboo growing around here.

Yeah.

It's thick.

What about-

I'm thinking about a field of it, though.

I don't know.

It's thick.

Like you don't want to walk through it thick.

Like I could see how something could hide in it thick.

Yeah.

You son of a bitch.

I don't know what bamboo looks like, he says.

No, bamboo fields.

Yeah, they don't plant fields of bamboo.

You see people plant bamboo around here.

You said bamboo field.

I said bamboo.

Field.

No, you said field.

Check the-

you'll have to check that.

Oh, I did it out.

It doesn't matter.

I'm going to be right.

This is all said and done.

So how do you keep them away, though?

Oh, I'm glad you asked.

Oh, can I guess?

Is there guessing involved?

Yeah, there's guessing.

Okay.

I mean, there's like-

okay, before you guess, there's like one obvious little reason or way to keep them away.

Okay.

And then there's one that you're never going to guess.

Okay.

So the obvious way to keep them away.

So I'm keeping a wolf away, right?

Werewolf.

Werewolf, yeah.

I would think having no livestock would keep them away.

I also-

that's all I got.

No livestock to keep them away.

The non-obvious way to keep them away, butterscotch.

I feel like they hate butterscotch.

How many?

Cinnamon.

How many, though?

Cinnamon.

They hate cinnamon.

How much?

They love pepper.

They hate cinnamon.

I need a number, though.

How much?

Sticks?

No, not sticks.

Shakes.

Hundred shakes.

Hundred shakes out of my cinnamon stick.

Okay.

I'm snorting.

All right.

You ready for the answer?

One, two, three, four, five, six.

I'm not doing it like this.

Come on now.

Oh, you're doing it like this.

Get out of hand.

I'm shaking it down.

Okay.

Gee willikers.

So the first obvious one is to be on your best behavior and follow the rules.

Of course.

That's such a cop out.

Is that being the reason?

Including your religion.

That is such a cop out.

I was going to say something like biblically because-

Yeah.

Yeah.

Lent and stuff.

Yeah.

I only put that one in there because I don't know, I wanted to.

That's such a cop out.

The next one though, this is similar to-

Cinnamon.

Yeah, the Boo Hag.

Is it a hairbrush?

Can I?

So I'm going to tell you right now, I'll give you a hint.

It's similar to the Boo Hag.

It's similar, but it's not the same.

It's similar.

Yes, but it's not the same.

So it doesn't mind counting things.

It doesn't like to count things?

Yes.

This is like the Boo Hag.

So could you keep a broom by your door?

Would a broom do it?

Possibly.

A broom would do it, maybe.

A jar full of beans.

Okay.

We got two.

And a hairbrush.

The hairbrush.

The hairbrush is one of my favorites.

Is there more than three?

I'm just asking.

What else would you count?

No, I'm going to go with those three.

All right.

So they are apparently pretty dumb creatures and can't count past 12.

So what is up with counting in these cultures?

I don't know.

What is up with counting?

To keep things like this away.

So like the Boo Hag was obsessed with counting.

This thing can't count past 12.

So obviously, it's like how many?

What does that make it?

Four?

It only has like three fingers and three toes.

So it's like, oh no, I hit 12.

So apparently, sitting 13 things outside of your house or on your windowsill will distract them.

And when they attempt to count the items, they will get pissed off due to not being able to count them all and will storm off.

So you don't even have to leave that much stuff out.

Like 12 is not a lot of anything.

Like 13 pence.

And could you imagine them running to your door and being like, like they're going to bust through and it's like, hold on a second.

One, two, three, and they hit 12.

Damn it, I don't know what happens after 12.

No one's ever showed me that.

They just leave?

You've got me this time.

And then, all right, so this this one, this one cracked me up.

So some say it will stand there trying to count the items until sunrise, which will cause him to leave before it gets light out.

So he's just standing there.

He counted to 12.

A two.

Oh, no, I lost count.

I got to start all over.

One.

It's like, that's got to be what it looks like.

Yeah, and he just keeps going.

It's like my two-year-old counting.

He's like, shit, let me try again.

And my two-year-old can only count to 11.

That's his number.

He knows numbers past that, but 11 is like his kryptonite.

After 11, he just loses all interest in counting anything and just leaves the room.

Yeah.

That's like my youngest.

He gets up to, like, I don't know, 18 or something, and then it's just like all kinds of random numbers.

Well, why do I need to count past 11 or 18?

Yeah.

What's the reason?

Yeah.

So I don't know.

I thought that was funny, though.

Yeah.

He'll stand there counting and he'll keep trying.

And then, like, the sun starts coming out.

I'm getting the brain pain.

Yeah.

The sun starts coming out and then he runs off.

That is funny.

Yeah.

I just can't believe that had something to do with counting, like the boo-hack.

I know.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All right.

So what do we got next?

What's happening?

Keep that thing away.

Now what?

We're going to Reddit.

Oh, let's go there.

Buckle up.

Buckle up to Reddit.

Let's go.

Let's head to Reddit.

All right, so we just found out about how to keep this son of a bitch away, and it is not that hard to just keep 12 items outside.

Let's see our good Reddit story.

Let's see if this thing can redeem itself for the dumb clawed of a creature it is.

Yeah.

So in our Reddit story for today, Reddit.

It is from Reddit user, yeah.

Yeah.

It's got to be a little John.

Yeah.

So it's yeah.

That's pretty good.

Yeah.

You broke like the sound decibel with the microphone.

So it's yeah.

And then crew with K, K-R-E-W and an E.

So it's yeah crew.

Yeah crew.

Bless you.

Let's go.

Yeah.

I felt some song come out on that.

This one has a title.

All right.

Let's hear it.

Bayou Tales of the Rougarou.

The Bayou Tales of the Rougarou.

When you come down here to the Bayou, buddy, you better know that this Rougarou is going to be long.

I thought you were getting ready to go into like come and let's, I don't forget how it goes down.

It's not far off there.

Yeah, you're right.

It's down that way.

Yeah.

Over a little bit, but.

Over.

Yeah.

Growing up on Bayou Tech, deep in Cajun country, I heard tale of the Rougarou monster many times.

Rougarou.

Rougarou.

Don't they chant something like that in the Scooby-Doo movie?

I feel like in the Scooby-Doo movie, like the first one they go over to island with the real people.

The freaking Scooby-Doo movie you're throwing at me right now?

My boys watch that like once a week.

And Cory, it's Cory's favorite movie.

He thinks it is just a cinematic masterpiece.

Have you seen Daphne in that?

In Belma?

Not Daphne.

Yeah, of course I did.

It's What's Her Name from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the other girl from Freaks and Geeks.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh yeah.

I've seen them.

Don't you worry.

She's also a new girl, the show we talked about last week.

Was that last week?

Yeah.

Okay.

Noma.

Whatever.

Yeah.

You son of a bitch.

According to those who claim a sighting, the Rougarou is a humanoid wolf-like creature that prowls our small settlements snatching pets for food, and sometimes snatching people too.

Story after story of the Rougarou being seen right before he runs deeper into the swamp to hide.

Townspeople like to speculate if there could be more than one monster.

Like multiple Rougarou's just running around.

And you have all these pets snatching and alligators is not your answer?

I know, I know.

It could just be an alligator.

Yeah, it could be.

A nice seven footer, buddy.

That's going to bring me into good money.

We're going to eat some alligator tail tonight.

Growing up in our tired little Bayou town, talk of the Rougarou was a constant.

I heard all the tales but always believe them to be nothing more than a fun story.

Something told to pass the time and make the long days a bit more interesting.

Simply a campfire story that's told deep in the swamps of Louisiana, by generations of Cajun French families.

I know better now.

Because I seen.

Because I am the Rougarou.

I went out to take a pita one night, buddy, and I looked across the yard over to the swamp, and there he stood, approximately 78 foot tall.

The Rougarou stole me straight in the eye.

It's probably his fucking shadow.

Damn.

Damn.

You think shadow people are down there?

Shadow peoples?

Yeah.

Damn.

I was a high school senior nearing graduation when it happened.

And few in my town and even fewer in my bloodline had ever left Bayou Tech.

The vast majority of those born there also die there.

I longed for more, wanted out, and saw college as my ticket to freedom.

Much to my family's dismay, I was accepted with a full ride at a state university three hours north.

The LSU?

Yeah, I was going to say, like, that's my guess, too.

It could be S-C-L-S-U, Mud Dog, baby, where Bobby Boucher went.

My hard work had finally paid off, and I started spending my days dreaming of a life in a future far away from the simple ways of the Bayou folk.

One lazy afternoon after school, the sun was starting to drop, and I was laying back in my pierogue.

I think it's pronounced Prius down south.

A small flat bottomed boat.

Oh, never mind.

Yeah!

Let's say motor.

Yeah.

I was staring at the clouds, listening to the chatter of the frogs, daydreaming while letting the slow Bayou current push me downstream towards home.

All of a sudden, I jumped up, startled out of my daze by a loud splash.

I quickly looked at the water around the paroch, trying to find the telltale ripples that would indicate a gator was close by.

Gators often splash around our boats, but they're usually harmless.

If we leave them be, they leave us be as well, for the most part.

But this time, I saw nothing but flat water.

There didn't appear to be any gators nearby.

Now, my voice is changing.

Lots of gators.

Cory is quickly traveling down south.

We started in Pennsylvania, and that son of a bitch just pulled into Louisiana.

We just got there, folks.

He is flying.

Lots of creatures called the swamp home, and I started to relax again, deciding it was probably just a snake dropping from a tree into the water in search of food.

Dude, fuck that.

Just saying.

I remember, we run the...

When I was living down in Arkansas, we ran those things.

They're called yo-yos, right?

So they're like little circles, and you pull your line down and put them in the water to go fishing.

And then when a fish bites them, like the tension kind of pulls them up to the top of the water.

So I remember I was in the front of the boat, and a buddy of mine was driving behind, and we're coming up to our yo-yo, and we got close, and I hit the tree like this.

And when I looked right up, there's just a snake staring me right in the...

I pushed so hard back, like the whole boat pushed back.

It's like, I don't give a shit about this fish.

Go, go, go.

It was just like a black snake.

But I don't know, dude, there were water moccasins all over down there and stuff.

It's like not even...

I don't know.

We...

I don't know how many...

Several years ago, we stayed at a beach house in Virginia.

And I remember we had our own little access to like this little...

I don't know what you call it, just a...

Like a canal or something?

Canal, yeah, basically.

And like there was all kinds of water moccasins going back and forth.

Yeah, it's crazy.

I remember the one day we were out there fishing on our dock, and where my uncle...

There was one like swimming out there, and my uncle was like, I'm going to snag that son of a bitch.

And he launched this...

He just launched a sinker.

I think it was just a sinker and a hook out there.

Sunk it.

Yeah.

Dude, we...

Like there were so many down there when we'd go fishing.

We went to this one place.

A lot of places where you could like put a boat in.

But there's just a little box that you have to pay like five bucks at.

Like a wooden box that you just put a $5 bill on to launch your boat here.

So don't wait, you know?

Yeah.

And like just these little ass ponds and shit.

But we were fishing at this one.

And, dude, I'm telling you, you would snag a water moxon like every like 10 to 15 casts.

Like, dude, there was...

I didn't even like fishing there.

You're fishing and they're just swimming at your boat because they're dickheads.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

They're just like super aggressive.

So they're just coming at like and like hitting the side of your boat.

And it's like, I don't I don't like fishing here at all.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Going back to PA.

Yeah.

Freaking right.

Because there's a lot more poisonous shit down south, right?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Up here, we got like we got two snakes.

Yeah.

Copperhead and rattlesnake.

Yep.

Yeah.

You know where to find them.

Pretty much more so in the mountains.

We get some around here, but not.

Yeah.

So after this dude thought it was just a snake dropping from a tree into the water in search of food.

And let me let me say it again when you say that.

Fuck that.

That's a bullshit.

A snake falling from a tree that close.

But then I heard a fast series of staccato splashes and turned around to find myself face to face with what could only be a Rougarou.

Oh, dude, could you imagine?

This ain't no small creature.

Yeah, no.

I figure if you're in a boat out in the middle of the bayou, like you're packing.

But still, I don't want to come face to face with the Rougarou.

Yeah.

The water chest high on me came up to its hips, just below its waist.

Its arms were abnormally long, misshapen and hairy.

But its face is what caused me to open my mouth to scream.

Large, soulful black eyes tucked under hairy ears and over a flat snout with two large yellowed canine teeth hanging crooked out of its mouth.

The Rougarou's hair was colored the browns and reds of the swamp, from the muddy brown color of the Bayou water to the dark reds of the Cypress tree roots.

Before the scream could leave my throat, the Rougarou clamped its giant hand over my mouth in no sound escape.

What?

That's how close this thing was?

Yeah, it was right there.

Like, you're getting ready to scream, and it's like, no, no.

Yeah, it's like, no, no, child.

You're going to be quiet out here in the middle of nowhere in the Bayou.

Why is it clamping its mouth?

Yeah.

I don't like my food to be too loud.

Yeah.

It then pushed me to the floor of my parogue and pinned me down with its foot.

I was terrified, certain that I was being snatched for its dinner.

Just as in the tales I had heard all my life, not going to lie, I was scared out of my mind.

I quickly pissed myself and began to shake and cry.

I'd probably shit my pants.

At this point, shitting your pants would probably be your best defense.

Because I know with my bowel movements that-

Oh, yeah.

It would definitely scare off a Rougarou.

Oh, screw this.

Isn't it worth it?

Yeah.

I don't like my meal to shit themselves.

Yeah.

Then to send a message, I'd throw my underwear into the water.

Pulling a jelly roll.

Oh, yeah.

I guess.

Yeah.

I feel like more of a jellyfish at this point.

Yeah.

I really wish I could say I fought a valiant fight that day, but that's not how it went down.

I was unable to move, frozen with fear, and couldn't even begin to fight back.

As I lay there, pinned down, I heard the familiar sound of my backpack zipper being unzipped.

Well, at least it was your backpack and not your pants.

Yeah.

Could you imagine?

Then I quickly, I felt both testicles being pulled up and wrapped around my neck to start strangling me.

Yeah.

Then I felt a shifting of weight as I heard the Rougarou inhale deeply.

One giant loud sniff.

Most of my backpack's contents were then strewn around the inside of the parole glaning everywhere.

My calculus textbook banged me squarely on the forehead, drawing blood.

Okay.

What a dork bringing freaking school books out to the bayou with you.

Yeah.

I heard a crinkling sound as the Rougarou suddenly jumped up and leapt into the water with amazing-

He found Twinkies.

With amazing speed and agility.

Once it got to the shore, it took off running into the distance, was quickly shrouded by the thick swamp vegetation, and was gone.

I spent who knows how long just attempting to compose myself.

I then rinsed my pants out in the Bayou water.

Why does he bother?

Just go home.

Yeah.

Just go home, you dork.

You don't have any Twinkies or a calculus book at this point.

Just go home.

Tried to wash away both the smell of urine and the shame I felt, which I'm sure Bayou water didn't smell any better than urine.

No.

And who's going to bust your balls because you just got attacked by a Rougarou and didn't die?

Yeah.

So it's like, man, I got to rinse these out because I don't want my cousin Jerry to make fun of me for peeing my pants in front of a werewolf.

Yeah.

So this dude tried to wash away the smell of urine and the shame that he felt at his cowardly reaction.

I had finally stopped shaking and started repacking my backpack when I had a realization.

There was only one item missing.

The Rougarou had taken only one thing, my favorite study snack.

The snack I was known for always having in my book bag.

Son of a bitch.

My extra large sharing sized bag of M&Ms.

M&Ms.

I was close to the Twinkies.

Son of a.

It was gone.

M&Ms.

Who is this fucking ET.?

Yeah, pretty much.

Reese's Pieces for him, buddy.

I know.

Yeah.

These are strict Reese's Pieces.

If you give me the chance between M&Ms or Reese's Pieces, it's Reese's Pieces all day.

Oh yeah.

Yeah, absolutely.

But I do like some M&Ms.

Oh yeah, they're good.

I feel like I never buy M&Ms, and then I get a pack of M&Ms, and it's like they're freaking good.

Yeah, I don't buy them either.

I just eat them with my kids.

Yeah, exactly.

And I'm like, wow, I can really, I really like them.

You mean your kid's M&Ms?

You mean your kid's M&Ms?

Yeah, my kid.

You eat your children?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

For sure.

Yeah.

Who would ever envision eating their children?

That'd be crazy.

Yeah.

Not me.

I would never think of that.

How they would taste over a speck.

Anyway, speck, do what you're saying.

I eventually calmed down and made it home after the sun had set.

I let my dad holler at me for being late, and no one noticed the cut on my forehead.

Or my pockets being empty of M&M's.

I just imagine this dude's forehead is being gassed over for his calc.

Because you know, like, math books and high school and stuff, like, those boys were thick.

Yeah.

I mean, I wouldn't know.

I was in, like, remedial math at best.

I did pre-calc.

Pre-calc.

Yeah, I did pre-calc.

Yeah.

I don't know.

I wish...

That's always one of my biggest regrets, is that I did pre-calc because I should have just done dumb, dumb math.

It would have been so much better.

I cheated off Kendra in pre-calc.

That seems right.

Yeah.

After that day, I gave up floating the bayou alone and never saw the Rougarou again.

I went on to graduate high school and moved away for college as I had planned.

Getting out of the bayou has been everything I'd hoped for and more.

I go back to visit family once per year, usually around the holidays.

And whenever I go back, I always make sure to have my pack of M&Ms in my back pocket.

Because when there's one thing I've learned about being in the bayou, it's that that son of a bitch in Rougarou loves him some M&Ms.

But he also has to pack a pair of extra drawers for himself.

Oh yeah, for sure.

This dude's a bitch mate.

Can't help it.

Yeah.

Can't help it.

When I go home, I still hear the old Rougarou tales being told, but now told to a new generation of Cajun.

Yeah, but I remember when I was a kid, these sons of bitches would come around and the Rougarou would love to have some M&M's.

My family has never left the Bayou to come visit me, but it's okay.

I've come to understand some of the pull the swamp has on them.

Oh, give it up, you big baby.

Just deal with it.

Yeah.

Aside from getting the story off my chest here, I've never shared what happened that day with a single person, not one.

I haven't added my Rougarou encounter to the infamous Bayou tech Rougarou lore, nor do I plan to.

The Bayou tech, I got to, is Bayou tech a real place?

Bayou tech and then tech has an E on the end.

Okay.

So is it techie?

Yeah.

Techay?

Techay, it must be French.

Bayou techay.

Bayou tech.

That is a place, son of a bitch.

That's a waterway.

So Bayou tech is a waterway down there.

So his family lives on a waterway?

Okay.

Yeah, so like tech is like a, that makes sense, like a canal down there.

Some stories are best left untold, you know, that, and I never eat M&Ms anymore.

I haven't eaten a single M&M since that day.

I shared my bag with the Rougarou.

But son of a bitch, have I been putting down some skittles?

Some baby food is good.

Switched over to skittles.

All right.

So you got, so what are some theories as to what?

So I have some, I have some idea for the theories.

You want to go throw yours out?

Yeah.

Well, I feel like one of the theories would of course go to be, we've talked about in other ones, like the Hook Man, the Candy Lady, other episodes where it's just, this is basically a warning to kids not to screw around in the Bayou.

Yeah.

What are some other theories that I can think of?

What are some things that you think that I guess could be, I mean, you already said like the Gators, the Dwarf could be mistaken for a Rougarou.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

I don't know.

I mean, is there any bears down there in the swamp?

I'm assuming they have some type of bear down there.

Yeah.

I don't know.

It's hard for just to pin something on like a wolf down there, like a wolf ate dogs and stuff like that, when there's just Gators everywhere down there.

Also, is there like coyotes and stuff like that down there, packs that would eat, grab dogs, smaller dogs and stuff like that?

I don't know.

I'm sure there's a lot of theories with it.

What else you got?

So I got, I'm going to start with France.

France.

I see London.

I see France.

Go ahead, Corey.

You see my underpants?

No, I'm not going to say that.

You pervert.

I don't see your underpants.

You're wearing a shirt and pants.

It's wrong with you.

Okay.

So since these son of a bitches brought this tail over with them.

Frenchies, man.

The Rougarou.

They brought the Rougarou over with them.

So looking at this from a realistic perspective.

Perspective.

France had a large gray wolf population during this time, that these werewolf accusations were, or when these werewolf accusations were occurring.

Yeah, wolves everywhere.

Makes sense.

So like these gray wolves, obviously were constantly eating people's livestock and even eating people.

And I actually looked into it a little more.

And France has the most extensive historical records of gray wolf attacks in the world with nearly 10,000 fatal attacks between 1200 and 1920.

Damn.

Yeah.

Okay.

10,000.

Yeah.

There's a lot of fucking wolves.

Yeah, that's a lot of wolves eating right there.

And attacks would typically happen in rural areas, farms, villages, roads, etc.

Yeah.

And I feel like when this werewolf stuff was going on, it was typically in the same type of, you know, environments that the wolves were being found or living.

Makes sense.

You know, it wasn't in big, you know, cities and stuff.

It was like these little.

Yeah, that makes sense.

Stupid little towns and stuff.

Wolves became so feared by people that they had bounties placed on them and people began trying to eliminate them from the environment.

And I saw too that like wolves in that area.

I don't remember the year exactly, but like they went from back then when they were, there was, you know, tons of wolves down to like a thousand back in like the, I want to say it was sometime in like the late 1900s, like 1960s, 70s, 80s, something like that.

There was like a thousand left.

So they're reintroducing them to Colorado right now.

Oh yeah.

Yeah.

They're already like destroying livestock in Colorado and elk populations in Colorado.

They keep like reintroducing them into areas.

I've heard about northern Minnesota where they've want to reintroduce like timber wolves up there and stuff, and they said it's just destroyed deer populations and stuff up there.

There's a reason that I feel like these things have kind of got eliminated.

Yeah, just killer predators.

Yeah.

So then the gruesome nature of the attacks, so wolves tearing into livestock and humans, and in some cases killing children was so savage and mysterious that people began to attribute these incident incidents to supernatural causes.

So like, you know, when something so horrific happens, and there's no clear explanation for why it's happening, people tend to look for other worldly explanations.

Yeah, it's the easy way out.

Yeah, it's the easy way out, and it made it easier to imagine that something unnatural was behind it, like the transformation of a person into a wolf.

And I don't think, so with like Louisiana and down in, you know, good old Cajun country, I don't think it was kind of the same situation regarding like France, but I kind of looked into it, and I found that red wolves were native to this area during this time period, up until the 1980s when they went extinct in the wild.

Okay.

But then I looked into it a little bit more, and there's actually no documented cases anywhere of red wolves attacking or killing people.

They're generally much smaller than gray wolves and not like, not as aggressive.

So you think they were just cultural monsters that were carried over from France?

That's what I think.

Yeah, they were just carried, you know, the people from France settled over here, and they're like, hey, guys, you guys got a Lougarou?

Any Lougarou's over here?

They're like, oh, what's that?

We don't have a Lougarou, but we have a Rougarou.

We used to have, they combined with like the Native American culture at that time.

It was just like, yeah, everything just kind of combined and created like the-

Yeah, it just made, I don't know.

And I think when you really look at every culture as some form of like a werewolf.

Werewolf.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So yeah, I think it was just your typical werewolf tales that were brought over from France, and then word of mouth spread throughout Louisiana, and people's imaginations just went wild.

Yeah.

Really.

Kind of what I think.

Makes sense.

Is that what you got?

Folklore score time.

Folklore score time, Corey.

Yeah.

Folklore score.

Folklore score.

Let's go.

All right.

We're back with the folklore score.

If your first time tuning in the folklore score, we have five categories, spookiness, cultural, significance, believability, uniqueness, and threat level.

We give them all a score of 1 to 10.

We add those up, combine our scores for a grand score to try and make the folklore score board.

Which is a tough board right now.

It is a tough board.

We were just talking about that.

Yeah.

The Boo Hag is number 10 at 60.

So you have to average at least a 30 to get up on the-

We haven't added anybody to this-

I mean, we added Ouija, I guess.

But before that, it was Krampus.

It's been a board that has not been changed for a while.

Yeah.

It's been pretty set in stone for a hot minute.

It's a tough-

It is a tough board.

It is a tough damn board, yo.

It is a tough board.

So we're going to unveil our scores.

Corey, what do you got?

I got a 20.

I got a 20.

I knew it.

I said, by the way, I saw your marker move.

We had the same exact score.

Dude, that was close to our first 30.

We haven't had a 30 yet.

That was close.

Let me change one of my scores to a F.

No.

Corey, I'm going to be honest with you, just to make it like super quick, I had all fours all the way down.

I mean, I had a four, four, three, four, five.

So I mean, I was like-

Yeah, so for spookiness, we both had four.

For cultural significance, we both had a four.

For believability, you had a three, I had a four.

For uniqueness, I had a four.

And for threat level, I had a four, you had a five.

So, yeah, on a scale of one to ten, it was a good story.

There's just not, I feel like there's not quite enough backstory going on there.

And I looked hard and there's just, it seems like all the stories involving the Rougarou were just stories that are passed down from word of mouth.

From Cajun to Cajun.

Yeah, Cajun to Cajun, word of mouth.

And then to our Cajuns is crazy.

And then I think they just die without passing it on.

Yeah.

So they get chewed up by a gator.

Oh, damn.

Chew them.

Yeah.

And with that, damn it.

And with that, I beat you.

I beat you to it.

So with that, that's the end of our episode, guys.

Thanks for joining us for another episode of the Kraken Cans Cast.

This is episode, what, 29?

Yeah.

29.

Next week will be the big 30.

And next week will be Celebrate Marty Girl on here.

Hell, yeah.

We dipped our little toesies in the-

We did.

The Marty Girl region.

Yeah.

And I think like even the week before was kind of nice to bring France in.

And then we went down south and now we're going to really dive.

We're going to get right into New Orleans next week.

But guys, thanks for joining us.

Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter.

All right.

I guess it's X.

TikTok and Instagram.

You still post on the X or is that?

I get it in my kick.

No, he's not.

He's not.

The look I got said, no, I'm not at all.

I get it in my kicks.

But yeah.

So hope you guys enjoyed.

Make sure to give us a five-star review on whatever you're listening to us on.

And hope you guys see you guys next week.

I'm Crack Daddy Mike and I'm out.

You could also call him KD Mike.

He's not BK Corey.

I'm out.

Corey's stupid.