I mentioned these dogs to Dave the other day, and he had never heard of them.
Here's one page about them.
(here are some of the other names they are known by, and the region):
Bogey Beast, Lancashire
Bargheust, Yorkshire and the North
Black Shuck, East Anglia
Capelthwaite, Westmorland (Cumbria)
Cu Sith, Highlands (Dark Green)
Gallytrot, Suffolk
Guytrash
Gurt Dog, Somerset
Hairy Jack, Lincolnshire
Mauthe Dog, (Mauthe Doog) Scotland
Old Shock or Shuck (Black Shuck), Suffolk
Padfoot, Yorkshire
Pooka, Ireland
Skriker, Lancashire, Yorkshire
Yeah, I don't know how I wasn't up on this legend, but it's pretty cool. Finally got around to checking out the article, and I like the related information about leylines (which I *have* heard of) where they refer to them as "Corpse Ways." That's cool.
ReplyDeleteI also like that this is one of those legends where you end up doomed if you look at the creature. When I was a kid, I read a book about various world monsters, and there was this one legend - African maybe? - about a little redcap type monster that would kill you if you ever looked down at it. You were only safe if you talked to it as if you were talking to a normal-height person. I always knew I'd get the crap killed out of my by it.
"Well lookit you, you're a little fella, aren't you? OH DEAR GOD!!! GAAHHHHH!!!!"