Black dog (folklore)
A black dog is a spectral being found primarily in British folklore. The black dog is essentially a nocturnal spectre, and its appearance was regarded as a portent of death. It is generally supposed to be larger than a physical dog, and often has large, glowing eyes.
It is often associated with electrical storms (such as Black Shuck's appearance at Bungay, Suffolk), and also with crossroads, places of execution and ancient pathways. Its Welsh form is confined to the sea-coast parishes, and on the Norfolk coast the creature is supposed to be amphibious, coming out of the sea by night and travelling about the lonely lanes.
The origins of the black dog are difficult to discern. It is impossible to ascertain whether the phantom originated in the Celtic or Germanic elements in British culture. Throughout European mythology, dogs have been associated with death. Examples of this are the Cŵn Annwn, Garm and Cerberus, all of whom were in some way guardians of the underworld. This association seems to be due to the scavenging habits of dogs. It is possible that the black dog is a survival of these beliefs.
Black dogs are almost universally malevolent, although few (like the Barghest) are held to be directly harmful. Most are a portent of death, or are in some way associated with the Devil. Some, however, like the Gurt Dog in Somerset and the Black Dog of the Hanging Hills (below) may sometimes act benevolently.
Black dogs by locale
Some of the better-known black dogs are the Barghest of Yorkshire and Black Shuck of East Anglia.
Various other forms are recorded in folklore:
England
- In Lancashire the spectre-hound is called Gytrash, Trash, Striker or Shriker.
- The Drummer of Tedworth sometimes manifested itself as a huge black dog.
- In Tring, Hertfordshire, a fierce-looking black hound with red eyes is said to haunt the middle of the road in the area where the gibbet once stood. Locally it is known as Lean Dog, and is the spirit of a chimney sweep executed for murder. When approached, the lean dog sinks into the ground.
- The Gurt Dog of Somerset is an example of a benevolent dog. It was said that mothers would allow their children to play unsupervised on the Quantock Hills because they believed that the Gurt Dog would protect them. It would also accompany lone travellers in the area, acting as a protector and guide.
- The Black Dog of Winchester.
- Padfoot of Wakefield.
- A black dog has been said to haunt the Newgate Prison for over 400 years, appearing before executions. According to legend, in 1596, a man named Scholler was sent to the prison for witchcraft, but was killed and eaten by starving prisoners before he was given a trial. The dog was said to appear soon after, and although the terrified men killed their guards and escaped, the beast is said to have hunted down and exacted revenge upon each murderer.[citation needed]
- A black dog appears in Penzance harbour as a foreteller of someone's death. The victim is the only one who can the see the dog, who is described as Labrador sized, but not the breed,
Channel Islands and Isle of Man
- In the Isle of Man it is styled Mauthe Doog, or Moddey Dhoo (black dog in Manx). It is said to haunt the environs of Peel Castle. People believe that anyone who sees the dog clearly will die soon after the encounter. It is mentioned by Sir Walter Scott in The Lay of the Last Minstrel--
- "For he was speechless, ghastly, wan
- Like him of whom the Story ran
- Who spoke the spectre hound in Man."
- In the Channel Island of Guernsey, there are two named dogs. One, Tchico (Tchi-coh two Norman words for dog, from whence cur), is headless, and is supposed to be the phantom of a past Bailiff of Guernsey, Gaultier de la Salle, who was hanged for falsely accusing one of his vassals. The other dog is known as Bodu or tchen Bodu (tchen being dog in Dgèrnésiais). His appearance, usually in the Clos du Valle, foretells death of the viewer or someone close to him. There are also numerous other unnamed apparitions, usually associated with placenames derived from bête (beast).
- In Jersey folklore, the Black Dog of Death is also called the Tchico, but a related belief in the Tchian d'Bouôlé (Black Dog of Bouley) tells of a phantom dog whose appearance presages storms. The story is believed to have been encouraged by smugglers who wanted to discourage nocturnal movements by people who might witness the movement of contraband.
- On mainland Normandy, the dog is referred to as the Rongeur d'Os (bone-gnawer).
Wales
- In Wales its counterpart was the gwyllgi, the "Dog of Darkness", a frightful apparition of a mastiff with baleful breath and blazing red eyes. Also related are the spectral Cŵn Annwn, connected with the otherworld realm of Annwn referred to in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi and elsewhere; however they are described as being dazzling white rather than black in the medieval text.
USA
- In the U.S.A. a twin set of black dogs is said to roam the country sides of north middle Tennessee near the county of Macon. Legend has it that two black puppies were adopted by a cruel farmer who was so evil that the Devil would not allow him to enter Hell, but gave him the job of hunting down unsupecting travellers after the stroke of midnight. Some stories state that death is quick; others say that death will fall days, months, or years after viewing the demonic beasts. Others say that death may not follow at all, but something "bad" will happen to someone close to those who set eyes on the twin hounds. Lastly, some stories skip the evil farmer and claim the hound to have multiple heads and is, in reality, Cerberus the hound who guards the gates of hell. This story may have been made-up to fit the satanic claims that some have made about the county.
- The Black Dog of the Hanging Hills of Meriden, Connecticut is unique in that it does not take the guise of a large, fearsome hound. Instead, it appears as a small, sad black dog. The Black Dog of the Hanging Hills leaves no footprints and makes no sound, even when it appears to be barking happily or howling. It also appears to enjoy human company, somewhat ironically. Seeing the Black Dog of the Hanging Hills once is supposedly good luck, twice is bad luck and three times means death.
- Packs of black dogs with glowing yellow eyes are rumored to prowl U.S. Route 666, slashing the tires of passing motorists with their sharp teeth.
- Along Sweet Hollow Road on Long Island, NY, there is said to be a black dog apparition that walks on its hind legs and has glowing red eyes. Making eye contact with it is supposed to cause death within a month.
Latin America
- Black dogs with fiery eyes are reported throughout Latin America from Mexico to Argentina under a variety of names including the Perro Negro€ (Spanish for Black Dog), Nahual (Mexico), Huay Chivo (Mexico), Cadejo (Central America), Familiar (Argentina) and Lobison (Argentina). They are usually said to be either incarnations of the Devil or a shape-changing sorcerer.
- There were also recent reports of a huge black dog with flaming red eyes roaming the southeastern Brazil coast, haunting and scaring people. However, there were no reports of any kind of physical harm caused by it[citation needed].
In fiction
- One of the most famous black dogs in fiction is the Hound of the Baskervilles from the book of the same name by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the book, the villain uses the long-standing legend of a ghostly dog that haunts the Baskerville family in his plan to murder them.
- In Russell Hoban's novel Riddley Walker (1980), Riddley's post-apocalyptic quest is initiated by a dog sacrifice and a folktale, "Why the Dog Won't Show its Eyes." Death dogs are important in the "Eusa" story that guides Riddley's quest, as is a companion black dog later in the quest.
- In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, Harry comes across what he believes is a Grim. He is told that it is a powerful omen of death.
- In the Patrick Swayze trucker movie Black Dog, the legend is updated for the motorized 20th century as a beast that is seen "when you've been on the road too long and pushing too hard. When you get greedy, it comes to take everything away from you."
- In The Mighty Boosh, Series 3 Episode 4 "The Strange Tale of The Crack Fox", Saboo mocks Dennis, the Shaman Council Leader, for his inability to handle drugs: "You once used a glue gun and thought you saw the Black Dog".
- In Goethe's Faust, the Devil Mephistopheles first appears to Faust in the form of a black poodle which follows him home through a field.
- In Supernatural(TV series) esipode 2 "Wendigo" theing they mention the possibility of a black dog be creature that killing campers
- The Moddey Dhoo is one of the many "guides" to appear in the webcomic Gunnerkrigg Court.
- In Black Dogs by Scottish Novelist Ian McEwan, a character encounters two black dogs that she believes to be evil incarnate.
References
- Bord, Colin and Bord, Janet (1980) Alien Animals
- Burchell, Simon (2007) Phantom Black Dogs in Latin America, Heart of Albion Press
- de Garis, Marie (1986) Folklore of Guernsey , The Guernsey Press, ASIN B0000EE6P8
- McEwan, Graham J. (1986) Mystery Animals of Britain and Ireland, Robert Hale Ltd.
- Michell, John F. and Rickard, Robert J.M. (1977) Phenomena: a book of wonders, Thames Hudson Ltd, ISBN 0-500-01182-6 (hardback ), ISBN 0-500-27094-5 (paperback)
- Readers Digest (1977) Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain Readers Digest Association, p.45
- Trubshaw, Robert Nigel (2005) Explore Black Dogs, Explore Books
- Westwood, Jennifer and Simpson, Jacqueline (2005) The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England's Legends, from Spring-heeled Jack to the Witches of Warboys, Penguin, ISBN 0-14-100711-7
See also
External links
- Mysterious Britain article on the Black Dog
- Monstrous.com article on the Black Dog, including theories as to its origin
- The Black Dog of the Hanging Hills at Haunted Connecticut
- Black Dog Bar Jersey