Michigan’s Infamous Nain Rouge Brings Doom And Bad Luck Tales

Michigan has been well known for its urban legends, but probably the most mysterious one out there is The Nain Rouge or The Red Dwarf. This is the only legend in Michigan that isn’t steeped in some humanoid, ghostly, or animal type figure, but a little red imp, which has been viewed throughout history as being a bad luck omen, or a harbinger of doom.

It’s been said to have been seen before the battle of Bloody Run in 1763. British soldiers were killed by Chief Pontiac‘s Ottawa tribe. It was also said to have been the reason for the Governor and General, William Hall, and his misfortunes leading to the surrender of Detroit in the War of 1812, as well as being seen before the Detroit riots in 1967 and before the ice storms in 1976.

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But where did these tales all begin?

Get out of my way, you red imp!

The Nain Rouge Origins

The beginnings of the Nain Rouge are shrouded in mystery, but it is said that the curse of the Red Dwarf may have been ignited by the attitude of the Founder of Detroit,  Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, as the Nain Rouge's Wikipedia explains:

According to various narratives surrounding the figure, Detroit's founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac was told by a fortuneteller to appease the Nain Rouge, but he instead attacked it with his cane and shouted, "Get out of my way, you red imp!" As a consequence, a string of bad luck befell Cadillac; he was charged with abuse of power and reassigned to Louisiana, later returning to France where he was briefly imprisoned and eventually lost his fortune.