L'Ankou

The strangest thing happened to me this afternoon: I went with my wife and in-laws in a little village called La Gacilly and I was buying some postcards in one of the many little shops they have, and I asked the shop owner if he had any literature about l'Ankou the messenger of death in Breton folklore. The guy said he didn't know what I was talking about, so I started explaining what l'Ankou was to him, and he seemed slightly worried, and said he didn't sell anything about death, devils, Satan or witches. He also mentionned a shop called L'Oeil de Breizh where I could find "the thing you are looking for". He also said that mentioning "that" was like mentioning Voldemort. So I think I genuinly scared somebody who believe in some of the old legends, and who thinks that it is bad omen to talk of Death openly or to seek it.

I went to L'Oeil with my wife and my sister-in-law and her boyfriend, and it's a real treat (for me that is, for them it's a bore): I was a kid in a candy store. I bought a book about Breton legends of death (!) and there are many more books to buy when I get back there. The owner was really chatty and I managed to bargain the price of the book. I learned a few things: a witch at the door is good against evil eye and evil spirits. So next time I will buy a witch (VeggieCarrie won't like it) and I will put it at the door of the flat. If my wife allows me, that is.