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As told by Pepe Boucher
Of course there be other loup garou stories! Oui, I must tell you many so you know the loup-garou well. Most every other place they be just wolf dogs but here in old Vincennes they be awful. Most any bete noir you hear about. You never want to think on a dark night when you be out by yourself, that they be here, these loup garou, in Vincennes. No I tell you this little one. It not be so much scare you as you run home.
This happen here in Vincennes after Gen. George R. Clark take the British fort from Lieut. Gov. Hamilton. After that time plenty of the Americans came here to our town and dey laugh at us French and our loup garou stories. Dey say be impossible. Mais soon Americaine he say he lost his cow and he go out to hunt her every night. No one ever find him in his home at nights. At last Vetal thought of his own miserable time and he say to himself, "Go and hunt the man and deliver him as Page did you." So Vetal gets a big knife and starts out in the dark and hunt for the Americaine who he thinks be possessed. Bien he hears a cow moaning an remembering that the man say his cow be gone Vetal now know it be the poor Americaine who had always laugh at the French when they talk of the loup-garou. Gathering up all his courage Vetal crept softly, softly as an Indian, on an on he slowly move toward the spot from where the moaning came. The cow did not hear Vetal. She was moaning like a person in great pain. The sound make Vetal tremble. He reach out to cut the cow so he draw blood and deliver the man. Just as he bent over the cow she jump up--right between Vetal's leg she jump an start on a cow jump, lope, gallop or run out toward the Commons. Now Vetal he not be so brave like Page so he be frightened most out of his wit. He reach for the cow's horns. Mais the cow toss her head and bellow an try to jump from under Vetal. Pore Vetal, he was dead scared and not have sense enough to stick the knife in the cow until they be run a mile from town. He hollar an call loud "So Boss," because he thought an Americane cow loup-garou would not understand French. Mais that cow navare stop. So he cried out "Mon Dieu arrester vache, vache arrester!" Mais that did not enter the ear of the loup-garou, so Vetal at last recouvrer ses esprits (he came to himself). He get courage enough to stick his knife in the shoulder. Oh! Oh! the blood spout out and the cow tumble down as Vetal tumble over on the grass in the common right by the side of the Americane what always make fun on the French loup-garou.
At last Vetal an the Americaine walk back to town an all the way the Americaine try to express his gratitude. He beg Vetal not to tell until he die or move away. He move back East purty soon an he nevare come back. When he be gone Vetal tell, mais some not believe, pourquei. Et quelquesunes ne pas eroire! (It is so whether you believe it or not.)
EMAIL: rking@indian.vinu.edu