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LA Poule Noire
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LA Poule Noire
LA POULE NOIRE - Peasants of Berri, central France, who wish to summon the Evil One, take a black hen into the fields at night, crying Who ll buy my black hen ? Date: 1855
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Media ID 14272205
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1855 Berri Crying Evil Fields Magic Noire Peasants Poule Summon Paranormal
EDITORS COMMENTS
LA Poule Noire: A Tale of Peasants and the Paranormal in Central France, 1855 This evocative image captures a moment in the rich history of rural France, as a group of peasants from the Berri region gather in a moonlit field, cradling a black hen in their hands. The scene is set in the mid-19th century, a time when the supernatural was a deeply ingrained part of rural life, and beliefs in magic and the occult were commonplace. The peasants in this photograph are not just farmers, but also practitioners of the old ways, seeking to summon the Evil One through the sacrifice of their black hen. The cry of "Who will buy my black hen?" is not a commercial plea, but rather a call to the dark forces, inviting them to make a deal. The use of a black hen in this ritual is significant, as in many cultures, black animals were believed to be associated with the supernatural and the occult. The peasants of Berri were not alone in their practices, as similar beliefs and rituals were common throughout rural Europe during this time. Despite the passage of time and the modernization of agriculture, the memory of this strange and intriguing tradition lives on. This photograph serves as a reminder of the rich and complex history of rural France, where the boundaries between the natural and the supernatural were often blurred, and where the power of belief could shape the course of events.
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