The rock carving of the woman in front of you is called Dame Carcas, and I will share with you her legend. Once upon a time, during the reign of the Saracens, Carcassonne was under the rule of a noblewoman named Dame Carcas. She was renowned for her intelligence, bravery, and unwavering spirit. Her husband, the Saracen king Ballak, had died in battle, leaving her to defend the city against a siege led by Emperor Charlemagne and his formidable army. The siege was long and grueling, with Charlemagne’s forces determined to conquer Carcassonne. The people within the walls suffered greatly, as food and supplies dwindled. The situation seemed dire, and hope was fading. However, Dame Carcas refused to surrender. Determined to save her city, she devised a clever plan. She ordered the remaining grain in the city to be fed to the last pig they had. Then, she had the pig thrown over the city walls, where it landed in front of the besieging troops. Seeing the well-fed pig, Charlemagne and his men were led to believe that the city still had abundant supplies and could withstand the siege indefinitely. Demoralized and thinking that Carcassonne was well-provisioned, they decided to withdraw. As Charlemagne’s army began to retreat, Dame Carcas ordered the city’s bells to be rung in celebration. The sound of the bells reached Charlemagne, who then realized he had been outwitted. In admiration of Dame Carcas’s cleverness and bravery, he decided to spare the city. According to legend, Charlemagne approached the city gates and exclaimed, “Carcas sonne!” meaning “Carcas rings!” And so, the city was named Carcassonne in her honor. To this day, the legend of Dame Carcas is remembered as a symbol of courage and ingenuity. Let us move to the next stop. I would suggest that you stand in the Narbonnaise gate and then hit the play button on the next stop.