The ''Devil Baby'' of Bourbon Street

By Crusader1307

While this missive is well within the realm of Urban Mythos, it was nonetheless a popular ''fright tale'' told in New Orleans, Louisiana for MANY years. It has the elements of many other Legends and ''scare stories'' known. Perhaps it is nothing more than a variation on a theme'' (as it were). As the tale goes, in the years well before The American Civil War of the 1860s, well known Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau was sought out for many needs, both spiritual and otherwise. The population of New Orleans seemed to tolerate itself as a melting pot of Caucasian, Black and Creole peoples. As was custom, when a well off Family had a Daughter who had ''come of age'', she was presented to Society at a Ball. One Family in particular had a beautiful Creole Lass named Camille. She attracted all Men of substance who wished to court and eventually marry Her. One Man in particular was a very handsome Black Business Man named Emiel. He courted Camille, bringing Her gifts and spending much time with Her. And while Camille was flattered, She had Her eyes set on a handsome Scotsman. She rebuked Emiel and planed to accept The Scotsman proposal of marriage.

This angered Emiel so much that He wished Camille dead, He sought out the ''skills'' of Marie Laveau. She tried to unsuccessfully reverse His request, stating that such a ''spell'' – if cast, would have ''dire consequences''. Emiel did not care. Laveau was paid and set to work on Her Spell. Within weeks, Camile and Her Beau would marry and at first all seemed well. Camille was reported to be ''with child''. But on the night of the expected birth, screams of horror came from The Mansion. Camile had died giving birth to what some say was a ''lump of deformed flesh, with horns on it's head and the frightening visage of Satan Himself''. So terrifying in fact, that The Husband went immediately insane (being taken away and locked up in an Asylum). Servants wrapped the child up and took it to Laveau for help. Although She was the source of the curse, she felt bad for the poor child. She supposedly took it in to raise. it. But Laveau took the child to Emiel in the morning to show Him His ''handiwork''.

Leveau found Emiel in His bed. His body was ''twisted and broken, with bone sticking out every which way''. So cursed, He swore revenge against Leveau. The Priestess stated that She had ''warned Him of the Price The Spirits would require''. It was said that Emiel, the once ''handsome fella'', spend the next several years, a bedridden ''lump of pained flesh'', before He died in His sleep.

And what of The Child? Well try as She might, The ''Baby'' would escape Laveau and wander thru the dark alleys and recesses of Bourbon Street, ''howling and growling'' as it went. So loud and scary, Residents of The Street feared The Child would break in and kill them. To ''appease'' the little ''Monster'', many began to fashion small wooden ''Devil Baby's'' and leave them outside when They heard the howling. ''Seeing'' so many of it's visage around was said to ''soothe'' it. This practice would continue for many years, until on night. Many saw Laveau and others carrying a bundle to the Graveyard. The group buried ''something''. Some say that the Child simply died and Marie buried it in consecrated ground, in hopes that it's Spirit would NOT come back and haunt The Living. Regardless, the practice of ''Devil Baby Dolls'' are beginning to see a bit of a comeback as ''Tourist Trinkets'' and some ''older Residents'' of Bourbon still place the ''figures'' on Their doorsteps, especially around.....Halloween.