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The Townships Legends and Fables

Published on Jun 9, 2023

These “contrived” tales spice up the history of our towns and villages. Mysterious, romanticized or totally outlandish, some of them nevertheless endure through time. . . Here’s a small selection of these. Skeptics beware! You won’t be confounded at all!

By Carolyne Parent


©Charles Dion

The Beatles in. . . Stanstead

The rumour dates back to 1972-73 when John Lennon and Paul McCartney were both in trouble with the authorities about drug issues. In this context, the first didn’t want to leave the United States and the second wasn’t allowed to enter. Therefore, what better place than the Haskell Library, erected on the Canada-US border, where one could move freely from Stanstead, Québec to Derby Line, Vermont, for a secret meeting of the British band members? The one subject on the agenda: their reunion for a tour, of course! For die-hard Fab Four fans, the story is plausible and beautiful; for others, it’s improbable because it has no real basis. Nevertheless, it inspired a local playwright, Ross Murray, to write a play, All Together Now. It paid tribute to the iconic Victorian building, which houses both the library and the Haskell Concert Hall, and was performed there in 2019.


The Legend of Witch Bay

This one reappears every Halloween! Dating back to the end of the 18th century, so, some time after the famous Salem witch hunts, it centre staged a certain Fitch Bay resident named Amanda. A herbalist by trade, she treated the villagers with great skill, but they were suspicious of her. Imagine. . . She walked with a limp, her hair was always in disarray, she would talk to trees, she prepared strange potions on full moon nights. . . That’s all it took for them to declare her a “witch” and to hang her near the bay on November 1, 1800. But the story doesn’t end there. . . Several decades later, in the same locality, another “witch” is said to have taken up residence in Witch Bay Castle, no doubt attracted by its weathervane, representing a sister witch on her broom! She’s said to have taken in Amanda’s soul. Since then, on stormy evenings, and, of course, on Halloween night, their shadows dance on the banks of the river. . .


©Daphné Caron

The Lake Memphremagog Monster

At one time, the depths of lakes and other waterways inspired much fear, often fuelled by hoaxes! Just think of the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. However, The Townships have a story of their own to tell! Here, we have Memphre! Similar to a sea serpent, and first sighted in 1816, according to an account by Ralph Merry III, founder of Magog, it frightened residents to the point of preventing them from venturing onto the lake. The monster is probably presently in a state of lethargy since it’s been very discreet in recent decades! Those who might want to learn more about the story behind our creature of the lake, the Mysteries of Canada’s online site as well as the town of Magog’s Memphré site offer a wealth of information to spark your imagination!


©Jessie Jolin

The Legend of the Lone Pine

On the outskirts of Sherbrooke, by the Saint-François bridge, a rocky island anchored in the river of the same name is known as a regional historical symbol. Flashback to the end of the 17th century. The Abenaki and Iroquois are fighting over the territory. A confrontation seems inevitable. To resolve the conflict that threatens to break out, the chiefs propose a man-to-man fight. Each First Nation chooses its best warrior. Their challenge? To run until exhaustion around the pine tree that rises on the islet and to eliminate the one who falls first. The Abenaki warrior won. Since 1934, a cross, driven into the ground during the commemorations surrounding the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s journey to Kanata (“village” in the Iroquois language), has replaced the famous pine tree, which seems to have been either struck by lightning, or cut down by vandals. Psst! in Sherbrooke, specifically at 157 Bowen-Nord Street, a mural The Mena’sen (or “The Lone Pine Rock” in the Abenaki language), evokes the legend.


For more stories...

Do you love a good story? Head out to the Savonnerie des diligences, in Orford! A signature product, these legend soaps recount some amazing stories, born of the unbridled imagination of Marie-Ève Lejour, owner of La Savonnerie des Diligences soap factory. When we combine what is useful and pleasant with creativity, pure joy happens!

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