Chasse-galerie
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- For the band, see Chasse-galerie (band).
La Chasse-galerie (The Bewitched Canoe) is a French Canadian legend. It is a tale of voyageurs who make a deal with the Devil. In Quebec, the legend of the "chasse-galerie", or bewitched canoe, is a favorite. Its most famous version was written by Honoré Beaugrand (1848 - 1906?). It was published in The Century in August 1892.
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Origin
This particular story can be traced back to a French legend about a rich nobleman named Gallery who loved to hunt. He loved it so much that he refused to attend Sunday mass. As punishment for this sin he was condemned to forever fly through the night skies, chased by galloping horses and howling wolves, in a fashion reminiscent of the Wild Hunt.
When French settlers arrived in Canada, they swapped stories with the natives and the tale of Gallery was combined with an Indian legend about a flying canoe.
The legend
It is New Year's Eve, at a camp situated deep in the forest near the Gatineau River. The land is deep in winter, snow piled high up the sides of the logging cabins. The camp boss has passed out the customary small casks of potent rum, and Joe, the cook, has had too much and falls into a deep sleep.
After midnight Joe is roughly shaken awake by Baptiste Durand, who outlines his plans to go to Lavaltrie to visit his sweetheart. It is New Year's Eve, after all, and he misses her. Baptiste assures Joe that they would be back by morning and would not miss work. Joe is amazed. How did Baptiste propose to travel 300 miles through dark forest and deep snow, and then return in time for work?! “Why, in our canoe,” Baptiste replies with a wink.
Joe realises there is but one explanation. His friend Baptiste has made a pact with le Diable (the Devil). He is proposing they make the “chasse-galerie”. If they did, they had to carefully follow the conditions set down by le Diable: that they not mention Le Seigneur's (the Lord’s) name and make sure no one touched the crosses on any of the church steeples as they whisked by in the canoe. Just to be on the safe side, Baptiste tells Joe, he has made the other eight men who are going with them swear not to touch another drop of rum. They needed clear heads when dealing with the Devil, otherwise he would have their souls!
Joe and the rest of the crew take their places in the canoe which then rises off the ground, and they start to paddle. Far below Joe sees the frozen Gatineau River, many villages, shiny church steeples and then the lights of Montreal. Soon the craft nears its destination.
Moments later the witched canoe reaches Batisette Auge's house where New Year's Eve festivities are in full swing. No one wonders at the loggers' sudden arrival. They are embraced with open arms and soon are dancing and celebrating as merrily as everyone else.
Soon it is 4 AM and the men must leave if they are to get back to the logging camp in time for work. Joe searches for Baptiste, and to his horror finds him drunk. This cannot be! Baptiste had to steer the canoe! As they fly through the moonless night Baptiste's hand is dangerously unsteady. While passing over Montreal he almost steers them into a church steeple. They do not get much further before Baptiste lands them in a deep snowdrift.
Terrified le Diable will steal their souls, the men agree to bind and gag Baptiste, then elect Joe to steer. All is well for a few miles. Suddenly Baptiste breaks his bonds and swears like a sailor! The men are again horrified. Their friend has broken another cardinal rule! Shaken and terrified, Joe steers the witched canoe right into a tall pine. The men spill out and it is here that their fellows find them the next morning, none the worse for wear, and thinking the eight men had staggered outside to sleep off the effects of too much rum. Thankful that le Diable had not collected his unholy payment, Joe and the others dare not tell their friends the truth.
A 40c postage stamp was issued in 1991 (as Witched Canoe), illustrating this legend (Canadian Scott #1334 or #1445), which forms part of a series on Canadian folktales. It caused quite a stir.
Variations
Several different versions of this tale exist. The Acadian version involves an Ax handle. It stretches to accommodate as many as climb on.
On the radio
- C'est La Vie - December 28, 2001. Told by storyteller Marylyn Peringer.