Matagot
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 A matagot does not look any different from a regular black cat | |
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
A Matagot is a spirit in French folklore that tends to take the form of a black cat. The name "Matagot" comes from the Spanish mater (to kill) and gothos (goths).[1]
Description and folklore
[edit]Matagots are generally evil, but some may prove helpful, like the "magician cat" said to bring wealth into a home if it is well fed. Traditionally, a wealth-bringing matagot must be lured with a fresh, plump chicken, then carried home by its new owner without the human looking back.[1] If the cat is given the first mouthful of food and drink at every meal and otherwise treated well, it will bring the human good fortune.[1] A matagot is said to be able to serve up to nine masters at once.[2] In Gascony traditions, you must not keep the matagot all your life: if the owner is dying, they will suffer a long agony, as long as they don't free the matagot.[3][4]
Physically, a matagot appears no different from an ordinary black cat. Because of this, it is considered a good idea to treat all black cats exceptionally well.[2]
The cat from Dick Whittington and His Cat has been described as a matagot, as she brought Whittington great fortune.[2]
Popular culture
[edit]Matagot is also the name of an independent French board game publisher best known for Takenoko and Captain Sonar. The company frequently makes use of black cats in their branding.[5]
In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald the matagot is a hairless, black, cat-like creature with the ability to multiply at will.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Bainton, Roy (10 November 2016). The Mammoth Book of Superstition: From Rabbits' Feet to Friday the 13th. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-1-4721-3747-0. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 Conway, D. J. (Deanna J. ) (2000). The mysterious, magical cat. New York : Gramercy Books. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-0-517-16301-6. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link) - ↑ Bladé, Jean-François (1886). Contes populaires de la Gascogne [Folktales from Gascony] (in French). Paris: Maisonneuve.
- ↑ Masse, Etienne Michel (1842). Memoire historique et statistique sur le canton de La Ciotat [Historical and statistical report on the canton of La Ciotat] (in French).
- ↑ "About us". Matagot.
- ↑ Acuna, Kirsten (19 November 2018). "Here are the magical creatures in 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'". Business Insider. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
External links
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