2 September 2021

La Fontaine à Chagrin in Lacroste (or Préty) (71), Saône-et-Loire (71)

La Fontaine à Chagrin on the road between Lacroste (usually pronounced without the 'ste') and Préty is a legend concerning a vouivre (a wivern, or winged dragon) which used to drink at the fountain. It had a diamond on its forehead which it used to take off while drinking. But a man from Lacroste, called Chagrin, had a large container covered in very sharp nails and hid in it while waiting for the creature to go to the fountain. When the creature was drinking Chagrin crept to the diamond and covered it, along with himself, in the container. Having drunk, the wyvern sought the diamond and killed itself on the nails while trying to retrieve it. The fountain is said to cure eye diseases, although the water itself is said to be detrimental to the health of people. (This account is the one given by local historian Gabriel Jeanton (1881-1943) in L’ancienne paroisse de Préty en Mâconnaisin, although there are other stories which slightly differ.)


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