• Covered in armored scales with 4 or 6 legs. Has a lion's head, bear claws and a long, barbed tail. Shown both with and without wings.
• Known to be larger than an ox
• Its spikes from its back are often used on knight's helmuts
• Breathes fire.
• Sheds skin every 7 years
• Is the daughter of Leviathan and a Bonnacon (cattle-like creature) or else it's the child of Leviathan and Onachus, a giant serpent
• Sometimes appears as a huge ox with bear feet
• Appears in local parades
• Terrorizes the River Rhone

• Tamed and vanquished by St. Martha (see below)
• Sunk ships and munched on their crews
• Killed and ate travelers in the forest

Version 1:
St. Martha sung church music to it when it emerged from its lake to eat virgins. She uses her belt to lead it into the town to be killed.

Version 2:
This tale has her in the woods alone, sprinkling holy water and showing her cross to make the dragon docile. Once docile, she leads it back to town with her belt and lets the townspeople pummel it with stones and spears. The town then changes its name from Nerluc to Tarascon.

Version 3:
In yet another tale, a farmer found the Tarasque's old skin that she had shed and told the town that the tarasque was dead. But, she came back. They then tried luring her into a swamp, but she would not be tricked.

• Coca (Spain)
• Tarasca (Spain)

• Dragons Unlimited - Isle St. Marguerite: index-196.html
• Tempest
• Legends of the Dragon