G- Gargoyle

The Gargoyle is a creature actually based on a legend found in France. The monster from the original tale was called the Gargouille or Goji. Gargouille, when translated, means literally "throat" or "gullet" and its root pronunciation represents the sound gargling water makes.

One version of the gargoyles story begins when the Bishop of Rouen, St. Romanus (or Romain to his friends) went out to destroy the monster as it was terrorizing the french countryside. The Gargouille was a very tradition dragon in this interpretation. It was described as having a long spiked neck, reptilian head and bat-like wings. All traits which are typically found in western dragons. After killing the dragon St. Romanus took it back to the city of Roen to burn it and found that the head and neck would not burn. He took them and mounted them on his own church as a warning for other monsters to stay far away or risk the same fate.

In another version of the story the Gargouille was a water monster that rose from the river Seine and had an appearance more like a sea serpents. He was again defeated by St. Romanus and mounted on his newly built church. Either way there is no clear idea of what the Gargouille truly looked like and different ideas of it appear in different translations.

The modern gargoyle as we know it has many shapes and sizes but owes its existence to this story. The gargoyle can have the appearance of a dragon, lion, dog, wolf, eagle, snake, monkey, goat or even a man. Most often the gargoyle is a combination of all these things. Since the middle ages they have been guardians and protectors of the places they inhabit. They are creatures of patience and guard churches and buildings from bad luck and evil spirits to this very day

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