Do you know what lurks in your neighborhood swamps?

Louisiana is a state rife with superstition and legend. Everyone knows of Vodoo and Anne Rice made Vampires popular. However, for all us Louisiana born and raised residents, who remembers those tales of the Rougarou? For the longest time, grandmothers and parents have used tales of the Rougarou to frighten misbehaving children. For some, the rougarou is a creature that stalks the woods, eating humans. Others claim the rougarou is the embodiement of sin and evil that manifests within a person, turning them into a creature that terrorizes small towns along the swamps. No matter the myth, the Rougarou is meant to inspire fear and obedience in children. So what is the Rougarou and where did this myth, or legend, come from?

Most believe the Rougarou myth came from the French myth of the loup-garou, a werewolf like creature that terrorizes small towns and country bumpkins of France. Considering the massive french population of Louisiana, one could easy draw the comparison between Rougarou and Loup-Garou. In fact, in many of the stories, the creature is either werewolf-esque in it’s transformative properties, or it’s a humanoid with a wolf head that lives in the swamps day and night. One aspect that all tales share: The Rougarou is one scary mofo.

So what, fellow Hathianites, does this have to do with Hathian, LA? Surely, there have been no Rougarou sightings to this reporter’s knowledge. Until now.

Several weeks ago, we were faced with the challange of yet another hurricane. High winds, profuse rain, dangerous lightning. And as if that wasn’t enough, there was the possibility of increased energy for paranormal entities to manifest with. And, it appears, there was another contender for danger during the hurricane winds and torrential downpour, and it wasn’t the flooding that threatened to drown many a stripper in the Twister basement. No, it was a Rougarou, pictured below.

Could this creature be the elusive Rougarou, haunting Hathian streets in the middle of Hurricane Isaac? Citizen Moonie Ghandhuhar believes so. “It was crazy! I was standing outside the pizza place when this.. thing came out of nowhere! It had blood all around it’s mouth, pointy ears, and fuzzy features!” Her claim is that once this creature saw her, she ran inside, catching only the brief glimpse of it with her camera.

The image to the left is the clearest image we could pull for this article, but if the story is true, then this may well be the Rougarou of legend. Through the fear of the hurricane, perhaps this woman only believes it was a werewolf? Withotu further evidence, it is hard to say. What can be said, though, is that strange things happened the days during the hurricane. Be wary, fellow Hathianites. And when you find yourself in the swamps, keep an ear out for the woeful cries of the Rougarou.