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THE LEGEND OF GAMBRINUS
Image de Gambrinus et la légende du diable

Gambrinus lived in Condé  on Escaut, a small town in Flanders, where he worked as a carillonneur. He was in love with Flandrine, his master's daughter, who was a glassmaker  ; but Flandrine was not in love with him. He began to tremble, to the point of not being able to play any more, and the inhabitants of Fresnes put him in prison for nocturnal uproar after having insulted and beaten him. When he was released a month later, he wanted to kill himself, but the devil suggested that he forget Flandrine in exchange for his soul, which he would come to look for thirty years later. Gambrinus accepted the pact. He got rich by gambling, but he still had not forgotten the glassmaker's daughter.

 

He met the devil again, who gave him seeds to plant hops and showed him how to make a chime that no one could resist. Gambrinus then organized a party to which all were invited. The inhabitants of Fresnes found the beer very bitter. Gambrinus then began to play the chime and everyone danced until they were exhausted. Gambrinus' revenge was over. But the locals scrambled for the beer to cool off and found that the more you drank, the sweeter it was.

 

The drink became known beyond the borders of the country and the king of Flanders, to reward Gambrinus for this success, appointed him duke, count and lord. But he preferred the title of "  King of beer  »That the inhabitants of Fresnes had given him. Shortly afterwards, Flandrine decided to speak to her, but he had not recognized her and offered her a drink ... he had forgotten her.

When the thirty years were over and the devil returned, Gambrinus played the chime until the devil found it unbearable and disappeared without asking for his rest. Gambrinus lived happily for a hundred more years, still drinking beer and playing the chimes. When he died, a barrel of beer was found in its place.  : this is why it has no grave.

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