Groach

(Grow-LICH)

Variations: Grac'h

In the Breton region of France comes Groac'h, a vampiric fay that looks to be a beautiful woman. Groac'h lives deep in the woods; although she will venture out to find children so that she may eat their flesh, she oftentimes finds herself having to protect her treasure from men who come seeking to steal it. Using her beauty to entice a man into letting his guard down, she seduces him, then suddenly attacks, draining him of his blood.

There is a story of a young man named Houran Pogamm. He went out into the world to seek his fortune so that he could afford to marry his love, a maiden named Bellah Postik. Houran had heard that that there was a beautiful yet evil woman named Groac'h who lived on the Isle of Lok. It was said that the woman had a large fortune hidden there. Houran traveled to the island and soon came across Groac'h. She took particular delight in capturing young men and finding new ways of imprisoning them, as she believed herself too clever to ever be caught or tricked. Houran she transformed into a toad. Fortunately for the young couple, Bellah came to rescue her love. She was able to outsmart Groac'h, trap her under a net, and push her into a deep hole that was then plugged with a large boulder. Once Groac'h was imprisoned, the spell was broken, Houran was restored, and the treasure was revealed to them.

Source: Breton Legends, Breton Legends Translated, 1 32­149; Krappe, Balor with the Evil Eye, 44 ­46, 77­79; Lang, Lilac Fairy Book, 315­26; Markale, Women of the Celts, 128, 228, 230