Nain Rouge

rdf:langString Nain Rouge

rdf:langString The Nain Rouge (French for "red dwarf") also called "Demon of the Strait", is a legendary creature of the Detroit, Michigan area whose appearance is said to presage misfortune. Its origins in the early French settlement of Detroit are proposed as deriving from Norman French tales of the lutin, a type of hobgoblin, along with Native American legends of an "impish offspring of the Stone God". According to various narratives surrounding the figure, Detroit's founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac was told by a fortuneteller to appease the Nain Rouge, but upon encountering the creature, he smacked it with his cane and shouted, "Get out of my way, you red imp!" As a consequence, a string of bad luck befell Cadillac; he was charged with abuse of power and reassigned to Louisiana, later returning to France where he was briefly imprisoned and eventually lost his fortune. The Nain Rouge legend has become part of contemporary Detroit culture. Each Spring, the city hosts a community festival and costume parade called the Marche du Nain Rouge.