The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LE GNOMME ROUGE

THE CITY OF DETROIT HAS A FRENCH ORIGIN. BOTH CADILLAC AND
FATHER RICHARD GREATLY AIDED THE CITY'S FOUNDING. BOTH OF
THESE MEN WERE ADVISED BY "LE GNOMME ROUGE". THIS LITTLE
MAN HELPED IN MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS. MANY OF THE CITIZENS
SAW HIM FROM TIME TO TIME. HE WAS LAST SEEN IN 1806 DURING THE
DETROIT FIRE AND IN 1943 DURING THE RACE RIOTS. AT THAT TIME,
SOME CITIZENS SAW HIM, OPENLY SOBBING, WALKING THE STREETS
OF DOWNTOWN.

Submitter comment:

BILL GORMAN HEARD THIS, I WOULD THINK, FROM TRADITIONAL SOURCES.

Data entry tech comment:

SPELLING CORRECTED BY KEYPUNCHER.

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Keyword(s): Detroit ; FRENCH ; Le Gnomme Rouge ; Legend ; Lore ; The Nain Rouge

James Callow Keyword(s): COMPARE THE GRAY CHAMPION OF NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

Date learned: 07-08-1964