Grangousier

(4 syl.). King of Utopia, who married, in “the vigour of his old age,” Gargamelle, daughter of the king of the Parpaillons, and became the father of Gargantua, the giant. He is described as a man in his dotage, whose delight was to draw scratches on the hearth with a burnt stick while watching the broiling of his chestnuts. When told of the invasion of Picrochole, King of Lerné, he exclaimed, “Alas! alas do I dream? Can it be true?” and began calling on all the saints of the calendar. He then sent to expostulate with Picrochole, and, seeing this would not do, tried what bribes by way of reparation would effect. In the meantime he sent to Paris for his son, who soon came to his rescue, utterly defeated Picrochole, and put his army to full rout. Some say he is meant for Louis XII., but this is most improbable, not only because there is very little resemblance between the two, but because he was king of Utopia, some considerable distance from Paris. Motteux thinks the academy figure of this old Priam was John d'Albret, King of Navarre. He certainly was no true Catholic, for he says in chap. xlv. they called him a heretic for declaiming against the saints. (Rabelais: Gargantua, i. 3.)

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894

Grani

Grangerise