French Demon Mythology

Bifron

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Tradition: French Mythology
Alternative Names: Bifron
Category: Demon

The Myth

Bifron appears in the form of a monstrous creature. When he takes human form, he makes people knowledgeable in astrology and teaches them the secrets of geometry. He also knows the virtues of herbs, stones, and precious plants.

Bifron transports corpses from one place to another and can move the remains of the dead. He has also been seen lighting torches on the tombs of the dead.

Bifron commands twenty-six legions of demons.

Sources

Collin de Plancy, Jacques Albin Simon. Dictionnaire infernal: répertoire universel des êtres, des personnages, des livres, des faits et des choses qui tiennent aux apparitions, aux divinations, à la magie, au commerce de l’enfer, aux démons, aux sorciers, aux sciences occultes, etc. 4th ed. Paris: Chez Tous Les Libraires, 1845.

Farfadets

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Tradition: French Mythology
Alternative Names: Fadets
Category: Demon, Gnome

The Myth

Farfadets are small supernatural creatures, sometimes only half a meter tall. They are described as wrinkled, brown-skinned beings who usually wear tattered brown clothing, although they may also go naked.

They live in woodlands but may attach themselves to a nearby farm or homestead. Farfadets are generally helpful rather than malicious, although they are playful and mischievous.

They are particularly fond of horses. They may secretly tend and groom them or weave ringlets into their manes. At farms, they perform small tasks in the fields during the night in return for a bowl of milk or cream left outside the house.

However, Farfadets can be driven away by excessive kindness. Leaving new clothes out for them, for example, may frighten them away.

In Provence and other parts of Occitania, similar creatures are known as fadets.

Sources

“Farfadet.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed September 9, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farfadet

Yan-gant-y-tan

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Tradition: French Mythology
Alternative Names: Yan-gant-y-tan
Category: Demon

The Myth

Yan-gant-y-tan is a strange demon that wanders through the countryside of Finistère at night. He carries five candles, one burning on each finger of his right hand, and spins them around like a flaming wheel.

Because of the candles, Yan-gant-y-tan cannot turn quickly while walking, since doing so might extinguish their flames. His appearance is sometimes described as that of a wiry old troll or a hairy wild man, but the five burning candles on his hand distinguish him from other creatures of this kind.

Encountering Yan-gant-y-tan is considered an evil omen, particularly for travelers journeying at night. One way of avoiding his bad omen is to leave a small bag of gold or a gold chain around a travelers’ post. Yan-gant-y-tan will take the offering and leave the house alone for another day.

Despite his reputation as a bad omen, Yan-gant-y-tan can also appear to travelers who have no light and give them five candles, allowing them to find their way through the night.

Sources

“Yan-gant-y-tan.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed September 9, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yan-gant-y-tan

Bosch

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Tradition: Breton Mythology, French Mythology
Alternative names: —
Category: Demon

The Myth

The Bosch is a supernatural creature believed to arise from theft committed aboard a ship. It has no fixed appearance and may take different forms depending on the nature of the crime that created it. Once born, it hides in the bow of the vessel and brings persistent misfortune to the crew.

A Bosch may survive for several months or even several years before gradually weakening and disappearing. While it remains aboard, the ship’s nets stay empty, favorable winds fail to appear, and misfortune continually afflicts the sailors.

In the Audierne region, maritime theft was paradoxically regarded as a source of good luck for the thief, because the Bosch created by the theft would remain behind on the ship. Elsewhere in Finistère, however, such supernatural consequences were regarded as a serious danger. Evil spirits could arise from acts of greed and wrongdoing aboard ships, making it necessary to fumigate a vessel before putting out to sea. The spirits were believed capable of becoming small enough to hide inside a thimble, so smoke had to reach every part of the ship.

There were two known ways to rid a vessel of a Bosch.

The first was to transfer it to another ship. The captain would identify a fortunate vessel whose crew enjoyed plentiful catches and good fortune. During the night, he would secretly board it and steal a small object, usually a pair of oarlocks. The Bosch would then leave its original ship and attach itself to the newly afflicted vessel.

The second method was to drive the creature into the sea. The captain would secretly steal some hay and hide it aboard the ship. At night, the hay would be set on fire near the mizzenmast while the captain shouted that there was a devil aboard.

The sailors, startled by the alarm, would seize whatever they could find and begin striking wildly around the vessel, beating every corner in an attempt to drive the supposed demon out. Faced with the smoke, flames, and blows, the Bosch would eventually flee into the sea, freeing the ship from its curse.

Sources

Countess Sica. “Bosch.” A Book of Creatures. July 8, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/07/08/bosch/

Murioshe

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Tradition / Region: Breton Mythology, French Mythology
Alternative names: Mourioche
Category: Horse, Demon

The Myth

The Murioshe is a harmful demon of Breton folklore that can apparently transform into almost any animal. It has long been feared along the coast of the Côtes-d’Armor and around Jugon-le-Lac. Although it can assume many forms, it most commonly appears as a water horse or as a werewolf. It may also take the shape of a donkey, bull, pig, ox, sheep, or even a pair of human arms.

The Murioshe hunts at night, stalking lonely travelers. It sometimes appears as a horse standing quietly beside the road, waiting for someone to ride it. Once mounted, the victim finds the creature’s spine stretching beneath the saddle while it gallops into a lake, laughing as it drowns its rider. At other times it seizes travelers with its muscular arms and throws them into muddy ditches, or leaps onto a person’s back and forces them to carry it until they collapse from exhaustion.

One tale tells of a farmer from Saint-Cast who repeatedly found livestock missing from his barn. Each morning he discovered that a different animal had vanished, only to find another species in its place. After realizing all of his animals had been slaughtered, he armed himself with a shotgun, but the Murioshe destroyed his barn and kidnapped his three children, who were never seen again. Despite its cruelty, the creature left behind a gold necklace.

People believed the Murioshe could sometimes be driven away through cleverness rather than force. One story tells of a rider who escaped after threatening to cut off the ears of the werewolf-like horse with scissors.

The Murioshe was also used to frighten misbehaving children. Parents warned them, “If you don’t listen, a Murioshe will come for you!”

The creature’s true origin is uncertain. Some traditions claim it was once a Breton man or woman who practiced dark arts and sold their soul to the Devil. Others identify it as the Devil himself, while some describe it simply as a werewolf unable to control its transformations. Another tradition recorded by Pierre Dubois says that the Murioshe was once the court jester of the underwater king before being exiled for bad behavior.

Sources

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Murioshe. In New Bestiary: Encyclopedia of Imaginary Beings. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/murioshe