Roeselare Harbor

LEGEND: Rolarius, the oldest inhabitant of Roeselare, ruled over the shipping on the Mandel; he was immortal as long as he stayed in the region of Roeselare. His wife was Carlotta Vulgo, the common (unruly, uncontrolled) daughter of a giant family born by the waterside. Rolarius x Carlotta Vulgo had a son named Opsinjoorke and a giant child named Zonnekind. They lived at the Mote in a castle on the banks of the Mandel. Rolarius satisfied his gruesome hunger with children's flesh; the only day he went to the center with his family was Three Kings' Night (January 6). The forest dwellers treated them to streams of beer until they fell into a deep sleep... that was what the forest dwellers were waiting for! With united forces they dragged the sleeping giants on log carts to dump them in the Mandel far from Roeselare. They drifted along the Leie to the Scheldt and died in Antwerp, where Brabo fought against the related family of the giant Druon Antigoon. The castle and a large part of the forest at the Mote were burned down by the local inhabitants; since then, the people of Roeselare have cultivated the fertile farmland there. The little children from the area around the waterside of Roeselare were once again safe. The youth were warned: if you go walking with your sweetheart by the waterside, never go further than the garter, for that is where bloodthirsty giant children come from! In the Middle Ages, the settlement grew into a busy trading place with a flourishing wool industry, which was replaced by linen production in the 16th century. Churches and halls were built, and markets were organized. Times of war and decline alternated with economic expansion. Now, Roeselare is not only a vibrant cultural and tourist center but also a bustling commercial and industrial area.

Dirk Acx