Tradition: French Mythology
Alternative Names: Drac de Beaucaire, Invisible Demon
Category: Dragon
The Myth
The Drac is a malevolent water dragon that haunts the Rhône River around Beaucaire. Its appearance can vary, but it is described as a winged amphibious creature with a reptilian body and the shoulders and head of a beautiful young man. The Drac possesses the power to become completely invisible, making it almost impossible to see or capture.
The Drac lured people into the river with its soft and enchanting voice before dragging them beneath the water. It was said to have killed thousands of knights and villagers, yet its ability to disappear from sight allowed it to escape those who tried to hunt it.
One day, a young woman was washing the cloths of her newborn child beside the river when she noticed a golden cup decorated with a pearl floating upon the water. She reached out to take it, but suddenly fell into the river. An invisible claw seized her wrist, and she lost consciousness.
When she awoke, she found herself inside a crystal cave. She could no longer remember how she had arrived there, for the Drac’s magic had erased her memories. Captivated by the creature’s voice and eyes, she became subject to its will. The Drac had chosen her to care for his child, and she became its wet nurse.
Every night, she rubbed a special balsam onto the child’s eyes. The ointment allowed the child to see its invisible father. As she performed this task, some of the balsam entered her own eyes, giving her the ability to see the Drac as well.
Seven years passed. The Drac’s child grew up, and the woman was no longer needed. Rather than killing her, the Drac released her from his enchantment and returned her to the riverbank.
She eventually found her way home, where she discovered that her husband had grown old and that her own child had grown up without remembering her. Yet the love between them remained, and she gradually returned to her former life. Even after her return, however, she was troubled by frequent dreams of dragons.
One day, while walking through the marketplace, she suddenly saw the Drac. She cried out, and the creature realized that she could see him. The Drac asked whether she could see him, and she answered that she could.
It placed one claw over her left eye and then over her right. When the claw covered her right eye, she could no longer see the Drac. The creature then tore out her right eye. She spent the rest of her life telling people what had happened to her, but those who heard the story believed that she had become insane.
Sources
“Drac.” Dragons Wiki. Fandom. Accessed September 20, 2026. https://dragons.fandom.com/wiki/Drac