Dare you to tread the murky paths of Louisiana at night, where the Rougarou lurks in the inky shadows? Alyssa and Lindsay take you deep into the heart of this spine-chilling legend, where animal mutilation and werewolf accusations paint a harrowing picture of fear and superstition. Our conversation isn't just a ghost story; it's a grim reflection on how hysteria can twist societies, turning the misunderstood into monsters. As we unravel this dark tale, you'll find yourself questioning not just the existence of the Rougarou, but the very nature of belief and the consequences it can bear.
Have you ever considered what it takes to transform into a creature of folklore terror? We dissect the curse of the Rougarou, revealing the eerie triggers of transformation, from the breaking of Lent vows to the bite of the beast itself. Comparing this enigmatic entity to your typical werewolf, we explore the fabric of legend that stitches the Rougarou into Louisiana's cultural tapestry. A woman's recent, haunting encounter with the beast provides a contemporary glimpse into the legend, while the mystique of a 101-day curse lends a chilling edge to this ancient narrative.
Finally, we discuss the quirky yet fascinating traditions meant to protect against such cryptids, including the strategic placement of household items. You'll hear us weigh the credibility of this egendary creature, amidst expressions of deep gratitude for our listeners and a celebration of our podcast's triumphs. And as we close, we extend an invitation to support Macab Midnight Podcast, ensuring that every encounter with the supernatural on our show leaves you eagerly anticipating the next.
Like, subscribe and rate us! Find us on Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and more at Macab at Midnight Add us on Instagram for episode teasers and updates, at Macab_At_Midnight_Podcast Message us with your suggestions and spooky things at macabatmidnight@outlook.com Most importantly, stay scary and we'll see you in your nightmares...
Dare you to tread the murky paths of Louisiana at night, where the Rougarou lurks in the inky shadows? Alyssa and Lindsay take you deep into the heart of this spine-chilling legend, where animal mutilation and werewolf accusations paint a harrowing picture of fear and superstition. Our conversation isn't just a ghost story; it's a grim reflection on how hysteria can twist societies, turning the misunderstood into monsters. As we unravel this dark tale, you'll find yourself questioning not just the existence of the Rougarou, but the very nature of belief and the consequences it can bear.
Have you ever considered what it takes to transform into a creature of folklore terror? We dissect the curse of the Rougarou, revealing the eerie triggers of transformation, from the breaking of Lent vows to the bite of the beast itself. Comparing this enigmatic entity to your typical werewolf, we explore the fabric of legend that stitches the Rougarou into Louisiana's cultural tapestry. A woman's recent, haunting encounter with the beast provides a contemporary glimpse into the legend, while the mystique of a 101-day curse lends a chilling edge to this ancient narrative.
Finally, we discuss the quirky yet fascinating traditions meant to protect against such cryptids, including the strategic placement of household items. You'll hear us weigh the credibility of this egendary creature, amidst expressions of deep gratitude for our listeners and a celebration of our podcast's triumphs. And as we close, we extend an invitation to support Macab Midnight Podcast, ensuring that every encounter with the supernatural on our show leaves you eagerly anticipating the next.
Like, subscribe and rate us! Find us on Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and more at Macab at Midnight Add us on Instagram for episode teasers and updates, at Macab_At_Midnight_Podcast Message us with your suggestions and spooky things at macabatmidnight@outlook.com Most importantly, stay scary and we'll see you in your nightmares...
Speaker 1:
Find other great podcasts like this one at podmothnetwork.
Speaker 2:
This episode of Macabre at Midnight briefly touches on animal mutilation and may be disturbing for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. So, lindsay, you want to hear a joke? Sure, what was the name of the monster that Scooby and the gang investigated when they went to Louisiana? I have no idea. Roogie, roogie, roo. Oh my gosh. Hello hauntlings. My name is Alyssa, here with my ghoulishly gorgeous wife and co-host, lindsay.
Speaker 2:
This is Macabre at Midnight, where we rate all things that sit on a scale, starting with the adorably spooky and ending with the truly disturbing. On tonight's episode, I'm going to be telling you guys about the Rougarou. This is actually an episode request from one of our listeners, so this one's for you. Mad Doctor, before we get into it, as always, we have a couple of things that we need to go over with you guys. The first one is if I sound kind of weird, it's because I didn't want to deal with my pop filter tonight. So if I'm super pop poppy, uh, that's why. Sorry. Also, our next episode, we're going to be trying a new recording interface. I don't know what it's going to sound like. Um, we will test it.
Speaker 2:
We always test before we record, but obviously, with the way that I echo. It doesn't always come out the way that it sounds in the test. So if our yeah, if next week's episode sounds kind of funny, that's why. So we're trying to sound better, we are, and I think it'll help. This interface will put us on different tracks, so if I'm echoey or quieter or whatever, I can adjust my track and not bother Lindsay's track, instead of having to listen for five minutes and then find myself and then edit myself, even though my editing on myself never seems to help with the goddamn echoing. So there's that. Furthermore, you may have noticed in our last episode that our outro sucked. That's because my outro notes disappeared and I had to wing it and Lindsay was trying to go to work and like she was running around the room getting stuff together while I was like trying to record the outro and remember how it goes. So that was fun. Yeah, sorry about that, and I still don't have the outro. So I'm going to do my best tonight, guys. Oh goodness.
Speaker 3:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
What a ride. Yes, you guys. Very, very soon, lindsey and I are going to be recording bonus content for our patreon that's right we're going to be going to different haunted locations or urban legend locations and recording and uploading that.
Speaker 2:
So if you guys are interested and you want to hear those episodes, for just five dollars a month you can get into those episodes and all that money goes back into the podcast. You also get some really, uh, you know, the the more you donate, the more you get. So you get some cool stickers. You get just some cool merch. Yeah, you get some handmade t-shirts that my sister makes Different things, magnets, mugs, all kinds of stuff and I will say, guys, these t-shirts, I've seen how she's doing the font and things on them.
Speaker 3:
It is beautiful, it is so pretty.
Speaker 2:
I love it. It looks really good. She's doing an awesome job.
Speaker 3:
Oh yes.
Speaker 2:
If you do go on to Patreon and you do decide to donate, just remember everything is made to order. It takes a while. It does take a little while, and then we got to ship it to you guys, but that's because everything is made with love, love and spooks. That's right. And the most important thing, the moment you have all been waiting for, we had a giveaway going. We had a giveaway going for one of june lungren who was a guest two episodes ago. Uh, one of her books, and we just received it.
Speaker 2:
She signed it, so it is a signed book, that's right that drawing, that giveaway, ended on friday night and at the time that you're listening to this it will be Monday. So we are going to go ahead and draw right now on the air, and Lindsay and I are going to announce at the exact same time who the winner is, so that you guys know. And do you need a drumroll?
Speaker 2:
I don't know. All right, we're going to drumroll. Go ahead, ready. And the winner is Go ahead Ready and the winner is Mothdemic. Alright, so we will reach out to you. We will reach out to you with that giveaway email. Get your information and we will get that book shipped to you. Congratulations, mothdemic. Thanks for your support. Thank you for listening to us. We love you. Mwah mwah, mwahwah. Kisses for you and a signed book. So keep an eye out for that email. Woo, congratulations also. Cool name, by the way, moth dimmick, if you're saying it right. I like that. It's got to be moth dimmick I guess it's like.
Speaker 3:
It's like pandemic, but with moths what?
Speaker 2:
would that look like? Like? Just like a. It would look like nothing, all you. You wouldn't see anything. It just be like the sky filled with moths. That's it. That's awful. No, fabrics are safe. I don't feel like you'd be able to breathe. All I can think of is like the smell of freaking moth balls. That's our greatest weapon. Like with a vampire, you put garlic on the door of freaking mothballs. That's our greatest weapon. Like with a vampire, you put garlic on the door. You put mothballs around the house. But without further ado, I think it is time for us to get into the Rookaroom. Lindsay, have you heard of the Rookaroom? No, in fact, that whole word you just said sounds not like a real monster. I assume it's some kind of monster. Yeah, it is encrypted.
Speaker 3:
Yes, okay all right yeah.
Speaker 2:
Okay. So I did my research in between doing everything else all the time, and because of that I didn't type my notes, I just wrote them down on paper. So if you guys hear the pages turning, it's because I got old-fashioned. You know what the name Rookaroo reminds me of? No, so did you ever play Crash Bandicoot? I don't play video games. Okay, I mean, I play horror video games. So the first boss on Crash Bandicoot to the gamers out there is a dog like in a straight jacket, and his name is Ripper Roo, and that's kind of what it reminds me of. You know what? I think you're going to find that that correlates Really. Yes, that's interesting. Yeah, and like to beat him like he hopped around because he couldn't like use his arms, so he just like hopped around from like platform to platform. Oh, my God, and that's how you had to fight him. Okay, you had to avoid getting stomped on. Alright, that's something. Yeah, I gotta avoid getting stomped on by our dog too. You'd be surprised at how much weight goes into a 14-pound creature stomping the Rougarou.
Speaker 2:
We're gonna look at its history first. So we're going back to 15th and 16th century France. Ooh, France, huh, Mm-hmm. The word Rougarou derived from the French word spelled Loup, L-O-U-P. Garou, so I assume it's Lougarou, meaning werewolf. Oh, okay, I hope I can read my own handwriting, because I'm looking at this and this is pretty scary At this time. In France if there were crimes, you know, someone ransacked your house or Bob got beat up in the donkey stall. Yeah, so this is pre-French Revolution, right?
Speaker 3:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
Oh yeah, like 200 years before, 300, 200, whatever. If Bob got beat up behind the stall, your house got ransacked. You know there was like a drunken squabble in the town square. Any sort of crime was generally blamed on the Rougarou.
Speaker 3:
That's convenient.
Speaker 2:
Or the Lougarou, loup loup, I'm gonna call it Rougarou, it's French. Yeah, so they were all generally blamed on these guys. It was a very, very witch, trial-y situation, I think you'll find, because they the town, something would happen and the town would all get together. They're like hey, I don't know who broke into my house last night, but I don't like you, james. I. Then you got Kyle over here in the corner, like oh God, uh, you know, I saw this thing, it was this, this weird. I saw this thing, it was this weird like werewolf thing. Yeah, totally, that's what did it. So, yeah, so what they would do is they would pick someone who was maybe a little weird, maybe didn't fit in, you know someone that they just didn't really like, and they would blame this person. And they would blame this person and they would call this person a werewolf. You know, that actually kind of more reminds me of, like, the game Werewolf, where, like, you're all just sitting at a table and you're all looking around like, okay, who is it?
Speaker 2:
It's you, you're the werewolf, for no reason other than I say so or I opened my eyes. Yeah, much like the witches. A lot of these people who were blamed would practice nature-based religions. They were, you know, a lot of pagan people, okay, so these people were being, like, they were being accused for being a little different, right, okay, and they would have a public trial. All right, trial should be in air quotes yes, trial. They have no real evidence? No, they don't. So they would have these public and the whole town would get together, the whole town would get around, everybody would gather around and they would all, like these public officials would ask everybody agree that this person is guilty. And because people were afraid of being blamed much again, I keep saying it like the witch trials, they would all agree that this person was guilty.
Speaker 2:
See, I wonder if that like, if you think about it, that that kind of applies to how today's society is. I think they call that like the crowd mentality or something you know where. Like you see something wrong happening but no one is standing up, so, like you don't want to stand up. Well, there so the reason that people actually do that now. The psychology behind that now is because people assume that someone else has done something. This is a little different. It's still crowd mentality, but, like what you're talking about is specifically because people think that right you don't.
Speaker 2:
Someone did, you don't want to get thrown under the bus for like being that one person. That's like no, it wasn't them. And then they're all like, well, they must have been in on it too. Yeah, that guy's a werewolf now too. Can you imagine just like being up there like the person on trial and like your best friend knows that you were not part of it? But you're being blamed and you look them in the eyes and they're like, yeah, yeah, they did it. You're just like, oh, you, mother.
Speaker 2:
Well, that's why when I, when I was reading about this, I was like this sounds just like the salem witch trials, which we should do an episode on that as well. Uh, because there's a lot of this holds like a lot of similarities to what would happen in the witch trials. And there's actually this book that I I read. Uh, that is it's kind of based on the witch trials, it's it's fiction and it's kind of fantasy. But there is the mentality in there, like it is, friends are pointing at friends, you know, because they're afraid. I don't remember the name of the book, but that was really common in the witch trials. That was really common, just like back then in general, I mean even now, though, I guess people, you know, we go back to that crowd mentality. That's how people are.
Speaker 2:
So between the years of 1520 and 1630, so about 110 years, okay, do you want to guess how many alleged Rougarous were killed 110 years in France? I'm going to say 200. 200? Yeah, yeah, okay, good guess You're wrong. Okay, 30, yeah, okay, good guess You're wrong. Okay, 30,000. Oh, good God, yeah, I was way low, I low-balled the hell out of that.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, you did 110 years, 30,000.
Speaker 2:
100, 200, that's like two a year. That's not realistic for hysteria. That's true 30,000 alleged Rougarous were killed in 110 years. Can you math that for me? You really want me to do the math? Yeah, what is 30,000 divided by 110? I can't mental math. That's 272. Okay, so you were right for like one year. Okay, that's a lot of people. That's a lot of people. We're going to go and we're going to talk about Pierre Bergot, we're going to talk about his story. Okay, so Pierre Bergot is one of the documented rigoureux. The year was 1521 in France and Bergot, who was a shepherd, was prepping for a storm. Okay, you know, at this time it wasn't like now you just like run into the basement, you know or sit on the heater or whatever Right you had to like tie stuff down.
Speaker 2:
You lived in a little Right. You had to like tie stuff down. You lived in a little mud shack.
Speaker 3:
You had to like fortify yourself, make sure your animals weren't going to blow away Right?
Speaker 2:
At this time a passerby was traveling through the area in which Burgo lived and he stopped making a promise to Burgo. There was no context in between Burgo and and like prepping for the storm and this passerby like literally it was just he was prepping for the storm and then the passerby stopped to make a promise, so I can't fill you in on like all the in between there.
Speaker 2:
I felt like it was a big jump, but that was the jump okay, okay, yeah I know, but basically that if burgo renounced his faith in god, the traveler would protect burgo' flock from the coming storm. You gotta think back then. Like this guy's a shepherd, his flock's probably his livelihood.
Speaker 3:
Oh, yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2:
You know like, you use them for trade, maybe eat them, making clothes, like all kinds of things. So this is his livelihood, okay, so, of course, renounce your faith. I just wonder. This random stranger is just like hey, that guy is preparing for a storm. Hey, guy, sell me your soul. Yeah, sell me your soul and I'll make sure that you come out of this. Okay, and your sheep too. That doesn't sound suspicious at all. And then only one sheep lives. It's like look, I didn't make any guarantees, I just said that, I didn't specify, I just said that you would make it out. Okay, right, because that's some shit the devil would do. Mm-hmm Bergot agreed, professing his loyalty to the spirit of a demon. Okay, and we're going to have another escalation where there was nothing in between him giving his soul to a demon and this next thing Is there, just like no.
Speaker 3:
There's nothing, no context, no.
Speaker 2:
Okay, nope. Bergot later meets Michael Verdon, who claimed to be a warlock who had been bitten by a wolf. The two took part in a ritual where it is said that their limbs grew long and patches of shaggy wolf-like hair grew on their bodies. You can see what I mean now. No context. He just makes a deal with a demon and then all of a sudden he's dancing with a warlock as a werewolf.
Speaker 2:
He's like magical wolf power. Oh yeah, okay, now we're escalating again. Okay, is there a reason why he's doing any of these things? I don't know. This is all I could find. Oh, this is documented, by the way, in a book that I didn't write the guy's name down, but there was this guy who I want to say. He was like a uh the word begins with P, I don't remember, but he basically Pastor, I don't know, no, but he documented all of these Rougarous Okay, alleged Rougarous, and this is one of the documentations. So he could have like embellished this story. It could be bullshit, but you know, you never know. I mean, well, yeah, we do know it's bullshit, but whatever. Anyway, both men were eventually burned at the stake after Virgo confessed to attacking children. Okay, so he went from raising his sheep, minding his business, to making a deal with a demon, to dancing with a warlock, to becoming a wolf that eats children.
Speaker 2:
Yes, you're welcome. Okay, yep, that's that story. Uh, fast forward to the 18th century. So now we are past the french revolution. Yeah, yes, yes, no, now it's about the time of the French Revolution, 1700s.
Speaker 3:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
Okay.
Speaker 3:
Oh hi. If you're looking for another spooky and funny podcast to add to your rotation, check out Anything Bones, now part of the PodMoth Network.
Speaker 1:
Hey, Boneheads. I'm Sophie Schwartz and I'm Caitlin Hart, and we're the hosts of Anything Bones, the podcast where we talk about bones and bone-related topics. So what are bone-related?
Speaker 3:
topics.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for asking, caitlin. This can be anything from mausoleums to murderers, famous skeletons to cadaver, dogs, bone churches, mummies serial killers. You'll hear about them all, and sometimes we have guests stop by and tell us their favorite bony tales. Check out.
Speaker 3:
Anything Bones on Apple, spotify, stitcher, iheartradio or wherever your little heart desires.
Speaker 1:
We release new episodes every Saturday.
Speaker 3:
Bone Voyage.
Speaker 1:
Bon voyage.
Speaker 2:
And this will come into play a little bit later. All right with the Rougarou thing, but it's just important to remember that when they came over they brought their Catholic faith and the story of the Rougarou and they kept them tied in together. Oh, okay, okay, but we'll come back to that. So the Rougarou, visually, is thought to be a tall, strong creature with a very muscular frame. Yes, these werewolves, specifically, are thought to have charcoal black fur, okay, glowing eyes, long, sharp teeth and claws, and either a human-like face with a snout or a wolf-like face with a very muscly human torso. Huh, so it's like a human wolf hybrid yeah, yeah, you know, like a werewolf yeah, like you, but we're.
Speaker 2:
You're talking like the classic, like they wolf kind of, but they can still stand on two legs yes the rougarou is said to attack and kill both livestock and humans.
Speaker 2:
Oh, okay, and they have a thing for finding children who are out late and unattended. That could be, you know, maybe come from like wives, tell like, oh, curfew's at 8 pm, better get home before dark. Yeah, you don't want the Rougarou to come eat you. They like to eat little kids, little piggies. You know, Don't come home without your toes. Another thing that's important to note about the Rougarou is that you might not know it's a Rougarou, because they can shift. Oh what?
Speaker 3:
Into other animals.
Speaker 2:
What that's different? Yes, yes, it is. So are you a werewolf or are you a shapeshifter? Would you make up your goddamn mind? Yeah, like they're. Like. My true form is a wolf-human hybrid, but I could also be.
Speaker 3:
A bat A cow A cow.
Speaker 2:
I could be a cat, you don't know. I could be a chicken. I could be your wife. Can they shapeshift into humans?
Speaker 2:
I don't know, I don't think so, whether well I mean, I mean, humans are technically primates and we're animals technically, you're right, we are mammals. So I would say, wait a minute, it already transforms into a freaking human. Well, yeah, like in the day, I assume that they transform into wolves at night, because that's how all wolves are. So yeah, uh, that's actually. My next point is like a werewolf, they become a human at sunrise and but I don't believe they become werewolf on the night of the full moon so it's just like every night well, whenever, whenever.
Speaker 2:
Well, kind of it's going to get a little weird. I don't know. None of this makes sense. As if it's not already? Well, it's going to get weirder.
Speaker 3:
Okay, okay.
Speaker 2:
So how do you think you become a Rougarou? I would assume your body starts to physically change.
Speaker 2:
That's not what I meant. I mean, oh, like, how do you be, like, end up as one? Yeah, well, probably through like a bite or something. No, so back to the whole Catholicism thing. You can become a Rougarou by skipping Lent for seven years. Yes, yes, yes, also you can get bit by one. You can also just see one and inherit the curse. Oh God, don't look at it. Also, you can look directly into their eyes, which I mean, I don't know, does it look directly into your eyes or does it see one, but apparently both A witch can curse you into becoming one okay and you can eat human flesh.
Speaker 2:
It kind of sounds like they just kind of took all these other cryptids and kind of stacked them on top because that's windigo. They're like Like so listen, what if the Mothman and the Wendigo and the Jersey Devil and also just the werewolf and the Chupacabra had a baby? They went over to Canada and heard people talking about the Wendigo. They're like oh yeah, we have a thing that does that too.
Speaker 3:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
We have a thing that does that. Yeah, I like it. So here's the thing about the, the windigo or god damn, that's what you meant to say. I'm going to bed right now. You better just shush.
Speaker 3:
I'm not the one talking, I am.
Speaker 1:
It is not that funny. Yeah, it is Okay.
Speaker 3:
Yes, they can hit you oh thanks.
Speaker 2:
So with the werewolf, the Rougarou, you become one for 101 days. That's not very long, that's less than six months. You don't think that's very long. To become a fiend, bloodthirsty monster, I mean yeah, but like, the bright end is that suddenly it's less than six months. Wow. But if you do anything bad within those 101 days, break any rules specifically, then you will become a ruby for the rest of your life. Maybe you should just lock yourself in a dungeon for like four months. It's louisiana, not freaking europe. There are no dungeons. Build one what? Yes, build one, yeah, build a panic room and lock yourself in there oh my god, okay, lindsey get out.
Speaker 2:
So another story. This one's a little more recent.
Speaker 3:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
It was on YouTube and this woman I was listening to her talk and I couldn't tell if it was a joke or not, mostly because of the face she made at the end. But basically this woman, who will remain anonymous, mostly because she did not give me a name or anybody who was watching her name for that matter she moves to Louisiana and she buys a beautiful chunk of land that she intends to move her trailer out onto.
Speaker 3:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
One day she decides that she's going to go have a look at the land, Just kind of, you know, check the area out, see what it's like, see what's on there, See what's I don't know what kind of the flowers are growing. Okay, she drives out there in her little car and she takes her gun, because it's Louisiana, which is basically the Australia of the United. States yeah there's lots of animals Alligators and Giant snakes, giant snakes and like voodoo cat. What other animals are in Louisiana? Raccoons, possums, we got them here.
Speaker 3:
That's a good question.
Speaker 2:
I don't know. I don't know. Bobcats, I think are in Louisiana. What else lives around the marshlands, rougarous? Oh, panthers, I know she said panthers were there, okay, so anyway. So she takes her gun with her, she's checking the land out and it's a big plot land and there's nothing on it right now. She doesn't have a house on it or anything, so it's basically wild land.
Speaker 3:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
And as she's walking, she notices something that's hunched over. She holds her gun up because she thinks it might be a panther, okay, and she states that it's about four feet tall, hunched over, hunched over. And then it stands up. Lady lady, that ain't no panther. No, it's not, it's a wendigo. Uh. So it stands up and it stands to about eight feet tall, oh lord, okay. And she says this thing looks like a freaking wolf. And she drops her gun. I don't know why she dropped it like I don't. I understand she's reacting, but I feel like my body would have clutched that thing. And she turns and she runs to her car. She gets in her car and, as she's sitting there trying to calm herself down, she decides not to drive away. Like you know, why would you drive?
Speaker 2:
away it sounds more like a horror movie.
Speaker 2:
Yes yes, it does, it gets better. Oh, okay, because she gets out of the car. No, well, she waits a while still. No, yeah, why again? Why didn't? I would not be going back out there. Well, she goes to get her gun and it's not there, buy another one. So she takes her gun back to the car and as she's going back to the car, she sees it and it charges her, oh gosh. So she gets in her car and it rams into her car and she drives off.
Speaker 2:
Now this woman claims to have seen it again, like a month later, when she was driving to the general store. It was hunched over on the side of the road and, she said, it stood up to its full height, kind of lifted its lip at her and then ran off. There are a lot of people in louisiana who believe that they have had sightings with this thing and in this particular area that this woman lived in at the time that she saw this thing, there were a lot of livestock that were being found dead. Oh, my god. There were dogs whose heads had been ripped off.
Speaker 2:
Oh, my god and this is the part that made me kind of question whether or not this lady's stories were true or not, because she said that there were like a lot of kids that were going missing, okay, and that like yeah, like they assume that the rougarou took them, but I I don't know. Well it does. I mean, the legend says that they did take children, right. So this, this stuff's all happening in this area and a lot of people believe in this thing. I have even heard stories where people have said, like there was one story specifically. It's funny that we got this request, because I was listening to another podcast like two months ago and I don't remember what podcast it was, and they were talking about the Rougarou and the guy said that his grandmother wouldn't even let you say the name rougarou because it summoned it, which you know is this is this like a really big belief in louisiana?
Speaker 2:
yes yes, people believe this thing down there and because I know, like you said, like it came from france but like the french did own like that whole area of the united states.
Speaker 2:
For a while before they sold it to the americans. Yeah, no, people believe in the rugeroo down there and you can get on youtube and you can like find people, videos of people like trying to go hunt this thing. Um, I guess allegedly there's a show called the unexplained files and I guess they caught one on there, but that show I think has a lot of acting and reenactments. So this is something that people believe in down there. How recent was that last story, do you know? I don't know it didn't give a year.
Speaker 2:
There was probably a year on the video, but I didn't look. The good news is there are ways to keep the Rougarou away and ways to keep it busy. All right, the best way to keep a Rougarou away, do you want to guess? Silver Carry a piece of silver, you don't have to shoot it with silver bullets, but if you carry a piece of silver with you, it will stay away. To keep the R from coming into your house. You can place a colander outside your door, or you can place 13 small objects outside your door, because apparently these guys are dumb as f***. Okay, you want to guess. Do you want to guess why?
Speaker 3:
Why.
Speaker 2:
Guess Just guess. I just want to know what your thoughts are. I don't know they can't count.
Speaker 2:
Oh, they can count, they can count. In fact, they get fixated on counting, they get obsessed with counting. And you know something? They can only count to 12. Oh, wow, so they can only count to 12. Oh, wow. So if you set these things outside, they will count all of the holes in the colander. You know what I'm thinking?
Speaker 2:
I'm thinking like somewhere in some movie or a show that I saw, maybe about maybe it was about werewolves or something where, like the house that whatever this was taking place in, had like a colander and like some metal pans like hanging really off the front porch, and I was always wondering like why is that a thing? Why, why do that hold on? I'm gonna google it, see what movie it is. I thought for sure. I've seen that somewhere before. I just can't place it where or how long ago it was. So the only thing that I'm finding is goosebumps. No, I don't feel like it was that. I feel like it was like I don't know. Well, I can't find the colander, I don't know. Anyways, I just feel like I've seen it somewhere. You probably have, if you guys know what movie it is.
Speaker 2:
Some movie like that, let us know, you could just see it in a scene like on the porch of the house or something. Yeah, yeah, let us know. So this has its similarities to werewolves, but it's got its differences and, like I said, the people in Louisiana, they really believe in this. There are stories of people who take it very, very seriously.
Speaker 2:
Oh yeah, that's just like the story I was telling you about the Alaskan little people. Right, people in Alaska, especially the natives, they swear by it like they exist. Yep, yep, yep. That is the Rougarou. Do you want to go ahead and rate that for me? That is the Rougarou. Do you want to go ahead and rate that for me?
Speaker 2:
I'm going to rate that a nope, don't like that Really. Yeah, why? Mostly because I just, with all it can do and stuff, I don't like that. I don't like that it can shapeshift. I don't like that. It's humanoid. But I don't rate it higher because I'm also kind of skeptical. Yeah, like you have all these stories but there's no like real photo evidence or anything of it. Like you feel like if something like that would exist, somebody would have seen it somewhere on a trail cam. Or like you know where they I don't know, maybe I don't know. Like that's the thing about these cryptids, though you know is like I guess, but I don't know, like that's the thing about these cryptids, though you know it's like I guess, but I don't know that's like.
Speaker 2:
This one just feels a little less like credible to me than any. Like something like the windigo, where there are videos out there where you, where people are capturing there are videos of the roo-roo.
Speaker 2:
I just watched one the other night where this guy it was just like this guy's um, it was like a cheap little phone video and he was like I'm about to show y'all this freaking. He said I'm out here, like he had the Cajun accent, yeah, and he was uh, I'll post it if I remember. But he's like I'm gonna show you this freaking thing. He said you can see its eyes. He says this thing's got to be like eight foot tall and he's in a freaking boat in the bayou in the middle of the swamp and it's dark and he it's like a seven minute video.
Speaker 2:
You don't see anything until the end. He goes there it is, he's like there that freaking thing is and he shows it and there's just these two like large golden eyes just glowing and he's like here's the thing. He shows you the water. He says I'm in the water right now. He says this water's like like six foot deep, oh god, yeah. And it's out in the middle of the freaking water and so okay, so that would be scary that that would be scary so there are people who, like there are alleged sightings.
Speaker 2:
Now, as with everything you know, this is on youtube, it could have been staged, but I don't. Some of them, though, you kind of like just uh, hear their voice and like it seems more genuine right right and I mean, some people are good actors.
Speaker 2:
We always have to remain skeptical, but right, there are, you know, alleged sightings. So I might then change that to uh, oh, hell, nah, okay, okay, because, uh, my ass wouldn't be sitting in that boat if I saw that. Okay, I'd be like taking my chances with the alligators and jumping ship oh, my god see you later, like I'll face the death roll before I face this here.
Speaker 2:
okay, so I'm gonna date, I'm gonna date it. No, I'm not, I hope not. I like my men big and hairy, okay, big and scary, oh, they keep coming. Yeah, so I'm going to rate this as adorably spooky.
Speaker 3:
Really. Yes, because if I can protect myself with a colander. That is fair. That's fair.
Speaker 2:
but and I like dogs. This is not a dog I would want near me, okay, hell, nah, uh-uh, we live with the freaking scariest. Yeah, we have the canine chupacabra over there. Yeah, we live with the chupacabra, but I don't care. So, yeah, oh, oh, yeah, that's, that's the roo-roo. That's, that's my man, apparently. Before we close this up, though, I wanted to thank all of our listeners. There aren't a whole lot of you, but there are just enough of you, and we really appreciate you guys. I think that on Spotify, we have I believe it's 40 subscribers, woo, and about 50% of you listen to every episode that drops. So we really, really appreciate you guys.
Speaker 3:
Y'all are amazing.
Speaker 2:
Keep spreading the word, keep bringing people in, because you guys, we made it to number 10 out of the top 100 horror podcasts. Hell yeah, we made it to number 10. Number 10. So, even though there aren't a lot of you, your guys' ratings, your comments, they matter, okay, they get us seen. We want to grow our group of hauntlings this is a haunted home for hauntlings, all right and we want our hauntlings to uh we want to grow.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, spread the word. Sit grandma down, throw some headphones on her and be like listen to this. Maybe not, grandma, we don't. We don't. We don't want her to become like a real hauntling because she has a heart attack, okay, but yeah. So thank you guys. That's so cool.
Speaker 2:
Lindsey and I did not expect to be number 10 out of like out of millions of podcasts. By the way, number 10 in the top 100 horror podcasts. We made it to a few other lists too, but that one was freaking awesome. Uh, we did not expect that to happen so soon. So we want to keep pushing. We want to keep doing good in the top 100 horror podcasts. We made it to a few other lists too, but that one was freaking awesome. We did not expect that to happen so soon. So we want to keep pushing. We want to keep doing good. So thank you guys. That would not have happened without you. You guys are loyal listeners. We love you guys.
Speaker 2:
If you enjoyed this episode of Macabre Midnight, then be sure to again spread the word. Like us, rate us, comment, subscribe anything you can to get more listeners in. Additionally, if you want to help support us, then head on over to our Patreon, which is patreoncom forward slash midnightpodcast24. And we would appreciate a little donation. You guys definitely get something in return. 100 of those funds go back into the podcast. So you know, pop on over there, check it out and be sure to stay tuned for more giveaways coming up. We will give you guys more information on those as they happen. We're going to be doing giveaways every month for our $20 tier Patreon boxes, mothdemic. Make sure you watch out for that email so that we can get in touch with you and figure out where we're sending your signed copy of Demon Seer the Awakening. And you guys, we really appreciate you all. We love you. Be sure to sprinkle a little bit of salt across the threshold of your door and we will see you in your nightmares. Don't forget to hang your colander outside.
