French Myths, Legends & Tales
La Dame Blanche - Jamie spreads the rumour that Claire is La Dame Blanche to explain his fidelity to her and this reputation prevents her from being raped in Paris (DIA, chapters 18, 20) La Dame Blanche means The White Lady. When Claire asks Magnus the butler if he has heard of La Dame Blanche, he explains that La Dame Blanche is a sorceress - "She is called a wisewoman, a healer. And yet ... she sees to the center of a man, and can turn his soul to ashes, if evil be found there." (DIA, chapter 20)
Les Dames Blanches are found in French folklore, particularly in the Celtic regions of France such as Normandy and Brittany. They seem to share some characteristics of Irish Banshees such as warning mortals of impending deaths by lingering outside homes and weeping and wailing. In Normandy they were believed to be faeries who lurked near bridges, streams and ravines and would stop travellers and force them to dance or answer cryptic riddles. If the travellers refused, Les Dames Blanches would torment them and toss them into ditches.
Little Red Riding Hood - when Jamie watches the sharks attack the cask of spoiled horsemeat thrown overboard from the Artemis, he quotes, "Why, grandmother dear, what big teeth ye have!" (V, chapter 44) This is from the folktale Little Red Riding Hood, which was first published by Charles Perrault as Le Petit Chaperon Rouge
Les Dames Blanches are found in French folklore, particularly in the Celtic regions of France such as Normandy and Brittany. They seem to share some characteristics of Irish Banshees such as warning mortals of impending deaths by lingering outside homes and weeping and wailing. In Normandy they were believed to be faeries who lurked near bridges, streams and ravines and would stop travellers and force them to dance or answer cryptic riddles. If the travellers refused, Les Dames Blanches would torment them and toss them into ditches.
Little Red Riding Hood - when Jamie watches the sharks attack the cask of spoiled horsemeat thrown overboard from the Artemis, he quotes, "Why, grandmother dear, what big teeth ye have!" (V, chapter 44) This is from the folktale Little Red Riding Hood, which was first published by Charles Perrault as Le Petit Chaperon Rouge