Editing Gargoyle (section)

== Legend of the Gargouille ==
{{main|Gargoyle (monster)}}
A French legend that sprang up around the name of [[Romanus of Rouen|St. Romanus]] ({{langx|fr|Romain}}; [[floruit|fl.]] {{Circa|631–641 AD}}), the former chancellor of the [[Merovingian dynasty|Merovingian]] king [[Chlothar II]] who was made [[bishop of Rouen]], relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called ''Gargouille'' or ''Goji''.<ref name="Butler Thurston Attwater 1956 p. 183" /><ref name="Herbermann Pace Pallen Shahan 1913 p. 209" />  La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with bat-like wings, a long neck, and the ability to breathe fire from its mouth.  Multiple versions of the story are given, either that St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix, or he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each, the monster is led back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not burn due to being tempered by its own fire breath. The head was then mounted on the walls of the newly built church to scare off evil spirits, and used for protection.<ref name="Cipa 2009" /> In commemoration of St. Romain, the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day that the [[reliquary]] of the saint was carried in procession (see details at [[Rouen]]).<ref name="Hodder 1881 p. 46" /><ref name="British Archaeological Association 1939 p. 361" />