In the 1st century A.D., legend has it that the small French village of Nerluc came under siege by a horrible dragon. The Tarasque came from the Rhone River and attacked the village again and again, burning portions of it to the ground with its breath of flames. The dragon supposedly had scales that were hard as iron and repelled all attacks, so the people of Nerluc were helpless against the savage beast.
Two-Fold: The Tarasque was said to be dangerous from both ends. The beast's sword-like teeth sliced through anything, and it used its tail like a whip to sink ships and bring buildings crumbling down.
Scale-Mail: This dragon's body was covered in overlapping scales, and a ridge of twisted spikes grew from its back. Villagers tried using weapons from swords to catapults against the Tarasque, but none even left a scratch on the beast.
Total Destruction[]
Tarascon villagers reenact a tarasque attack every year.
According to legend, the Tarasque was the child of the powerful sea monster Leviathan. The beast swam up the Rhone River into the small French village of Nerluc and immediately began terrorizing the land. The Tarasque destroyed boats and bridges, burnt buildings with its fiery breath and ate any person who came near the river. The king of France did nothing to help the village and ignored the plight of the peasants. The beast was left free to run rampant through the countryside.
Tarasque Tamer: Hope had left the people of Nerluc until Saint Martha heard of their trouble and came to help. The woman found the Tarasque and calmed it with a gentle song. She then poured holy water into its mouth to extinguish its fiery breath. Martha then led the beast into the village on a leash made of her own hair. Seeing the beast subdued, the villagers quickly set on the Tarasque with swords and stones, and killed the beast.
Celebrate: After the Tarasque was defeated, the people of Nerluc changed the village's name to Tarascon to commemorate the slaying of the beast. Residents there still celebrate the death annually and reenact the scene where the beast was killed.
Bad Breath[]
- With its mind set on destruction, the Tarasque leaves its den near the Rhone and wanders into the village of Nerluc. Seeing the enraged beast heading toward a fair maiden, a man gets between the woman and the monster, but the dragon kills him with one shot of flame from its mouth.
- The maiden is trapped by the flames, and the Tarasque closes in. The dragon flicks out its forked tongue and grabs her. All the other villagers have run away from the beast and the fire it caused, so the woman is helplessly drawn toward the Tarasque's deadly jaws.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- Tarasque is featured in It's All Relative! on Monster Mania 30.