Character guide

Germain

major

Also known as Father Maurice, Maurice

A widowed farmer and devoted father who rides into the woods to find a wife and instead finds his conscience tested.

Marie

major

Also known as Little Marie

A young shepherdess with nothing to her name but her pride, who refuses to be bought and chooses her own protector.

Petit-Pierre

supporting

Also known as Pierre, Little Pierre

Germain's small son, whose innocent fear of a dark stranger forces the adults around him to reveal their true natures.

Father Maurice

supporting

Also known as Maurice

Germain's aging father-in-law, who nudges his grieving son-in-law back toward marriage and the continuation of family life.

Mother Guillette

supporting

Also known as Guillette

A neighbor woman whose practical matchmaking sets Germain's journey in motion and whose gossip shapes the village's expectations.

Mother Maurice

supporting

Germain's mother-in-law, who keeps the household running and worries over the grandchildren while her son-in-law seeks a new wife.

Leonard

minor

Also known as Father Leonard

A local priest who appears in the narrative.

Catherine

minor

A woman Germain considers marrying early in the story.

Bastien

minor

A young man from the village who interacts with Marie.

Sylvain

minor

Also known as Saint Sylvain of Pouligny, little Sylvain

A restless young child mentioned in the narrative.

Jacques

minor

A minor character in the village setting.

Solange

minor

A woman mentioned in the village context.

Fourche

minor

A local character with limited narrative presence.

The Old Gray

minor

An elderly woman encountered during the journey.

The Gravedigger

minor

A figure who appears in a symbolic or narrative scene.