Legend Part Two

A dragon tamed by a saint, its head mounted to ward off evil.

The legend of the Gargouille is a French story that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus (French: Romain; fl. c. 631–641 AD), the former chancellor of the Merovingian king Chlothar II who was made bishop of Rouen. It relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille or Goji. La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with bat-like wings, a long neck, and the ability to breathe fire.

Quick Facts

Key characters: St. Romanus (Romain), Gargouille/Goji
Setting: Rouen, France (c. 631–641 AD)

Lore & Background

Multiple versions of the story are given. In one, St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix. In another, he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each version, the monster is led back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not burn due to being tempered by its own fire breath. So the head was mounted upon the cathedral walls to serve as a prophylactic against evil spirits. In commemoration of St. Romain, the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day that the reliquary of the saint was carried in procession.

Reader's Guide

The legend of the Gargouille explains the origin of the name 'gargoyle' and connects it to the protective function of these sculptures. The key figure is St. Romanus (Romain), bishop of Rouen from roughly 631 to 641 AD, who was formerly chancellor to King Chlothar II. There are multiple versions of how he defeated the dragon: either he subdued it with a crucifix, or he captured it with the help of a condemned man who volunteered. After the monster was led back to Rouen and burned, its head and neck survived the fire because they were tempered by its own fire breath. This unburnable head was mounted on the cathedral walls to serve as a prophylactic against evil spirits. As a result of this legend, the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day the reliquary of St. Romain was carried in procession.

Did You Know?

The name 'gargoyle' originates from the French 'gargouille', meaning 'conduit for waterflow'.
The term 'gargouille' is composed of the onomatopoeic root 'garg-' and the Old French 'goule' meaning 'animal mouth, throat'.
The Italian word for gargoyle is 'doccione' or 'gronda sporgente', which means 'protruding gutter'.
When not constructed as a waterspout and only serving an ornamental function, the technical term for such a sculpture is a grotesque, chimera, or boss.
The earliest known medieval gargoyles appear on Laon Cathedral, dating from around 1200 to 1220.