Artalens-Souin
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ARTALENS-SOUIN
Département : Hautes-Pyrénées
Official blazon
- (fr) D'argent au serpent ailé [amphiptère] de sable; au chef d'azur chargé d'une étoile de six rais d'or accostée de deux croissants du même.
Origin/meaning
I have no information on the chief, but the dragon is based on the following legend:
In very ancient times, the largest snake that has ever been seen haunted the mountains which formed a vast belt of peaks around the verdant valley of Isaby. Countless herds grazed there, led by the shepherds of the valley and their big white dogs. When the dragon woke up, hungry, it opened its vast mouth, and a magic breath crossing the valley, and carried away herds, dogs and shepherds who were engulfed by the monster.
Now, in the village of Arbouix, there was a man, a farrier, who had a lot of courage and no less skill. He resolved to free the region from the snake and for this purpose he established a forge in the most secret place of the valley of Isaby. There he heated a heavy iron anvil. When it was red, he carried it to the entrance of the monster's lair, with the help of some devoted companions, and all fled. When the snake saw the red-hot iron, it sucked it up like a sheep, all at once. A fire started in its entrails and to stop the fire the animal began to drink, and drank until it burst. Then the water it had swallowed spread to the bottom of the valley. This is how Lake Isaby was born, with its blue waters full of fish.
The inhabitants, grateful, granted their savior the right to drive his herds without having to pay royalties, on the pastures which he had cleared of the beast. They also took the reptile's ribs and thought they were pleasing God by using them to build a church. But when the church was built, hail fell relentlessly on the land. They realised that they had to burn the bones, because they were cursed. When they were burned, the hail ceased.
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Index of the site
Literature : Image from http://www.armorialdefrance.fr; legend from "Les légendes des Pyrénées, 3e édition (Karl des Monts / Michel Lévy Frères Éditeurs)" (send by P. Favoudon)