The howling of the dog was considered by these nations as the first note of the funeral dirge11 and the signal that the coming of death was near.
But the origin of the superstition may be traced back to Egypt, where dogs and dog-faced gods were objects of worship; probably because Sirius, the Dog-star, appeared precisely12 before the rising of the Nile, and thereby13 gave the people a mystic and supernatural warning to prepare for the overflow14.
The Romans held that the howling of dogs was a fatal presage15 of evil, and it is noted16 amongst the direful omens17 that preceded the death of Cæsar. Horace also says that Canidia by her spells and sorceries could bring ghosts of dogs from hell; and Virgil makes the dog to howl at the approach of Hecate.
It is remarkable18 that when dogs see spirits (and they are keenly sensitive to spirit influence) they never bark, but only howl. The Rabbins say that “when the Angel of Death enters a city the dogs do howl. But when Elias appears then the dogs rejoice and are merry.” And Rabbi Jehuda the Just states, that once upon a time when the Angel of Death entered a house the dog howled and fled; but being presently brought back he lay down in fear and trembling, and so died.
This strange superstition concerning the howling of dogs, when, as is supposed, they are conscious of the approach of the Spirit of Death, and see him though he is shrouded19 and invisible to human eyes, may be found pervading20 the legends of all nations from the earliest period down to the present time; for it still exists in full force amongst all classes, the educated, as well as the unlettered peasantry; and to this day the howling of a dog where a sick person is lying is regarded in Ireland in all grades of society with pale dismay as a certain sign of approaching death.
The Irish may have obtained the superstition through Egypt, Phœnicia, or Greece, for it is the opinion of some erudite writers that the Irish wolf-dog (Canis gracius Hibernicus) was descended21 from the dogs of Greece.
It is strange and noteworthy that although the dog is so faithful to man, yet it is never mentioned in the Bible without an expression of contempt; and Moses in his code of laws makes the dog an unclean animal, probably to deter22 the Israelites from the Egyptian worship of this animal. It was the lowest term of offence—“Is thy servant a dog?” False teachers, persecutors, Gentiles, unholy men, and others sunk in sin and vileness23 were148 called dogs; while at the same time the strange prophetic power of these animals was universally acknowledged and recognized.
The Romans sacrificed a dog at the Lupercalia in February. And to meet a dog with her whelps was considered in the highest degree unlucky. Of all living creatures the name of “dog” applied24 to any one expressed the lowest form of insult, contempt, and reproach. Yet, of all animals, the dog has the noblest qualities, the highest intelligence, and the most enduring affection for man.
The Irish wolf-dog had a lithe25 body, a slender head, and was fleet as the wind. The form of the animal is produced constantly in Irish ornamentation, but the body always terminates in endless twisted convolutions. The great Fionn Ma-Coul had a celebrated26 dog called “Bran,” who is thus described in the bardic28 legends: “A ferocious29, small-headed, white-breasted, sleek-haunched hound; having the eyes of a dragon, the claws of a wolf, the vigour30 of a lion, and the venom31 of a serpent.”
In the same poem Fionn himself is described in highly ornate bardic language, as he leads the hound by a chain of silver attached to a collar of gold: “A noble, handsome, fair-featured Fenian prince; young, courteous32, manly33, puissant34; powerful in action; the tallest of the warriors35; the strongest of the champions; the most beautiful of the human race.”
Bran, like his master, was gifted in a remarkable degree with the foreknowledge of evil, and thus he was enabled to give his young lord many warnings to keep him from danger.
Once, when victory was not for the Fenian host, Bran showed the deepest sorrow.
“He came to Fionn, wet and weary, and by this hand,” says the chronicler, “his appearance was pitiful. He lay down before the chief, and cried bitterly and howled.
“‘’Tis likely, my dog,’ saith Fionn, ‘that our heads are in great danger this day.’”
Another time, the Fenian host having killed a huge boar, Ossian, the bard27 and prophet, ordered it to be burnt as of demon36 race. Bran, hearing this, went out readily and knowingly, and he brings in three trees in his paw; no one knew from whence; but the trees were put into the fire and the great pig was burnt, and the ashes of the beast were cast into the sea.
The Fenian princes generally went to the hunt accompanied altogether by about three thousand hounds; Bran leading, the wisest and fleetest of all. The chiefs formed a goodly army, a thousand knights37 or more—each wearing a silken shirt and a chotan of fine silk, a green mantle38 and fine purple cloak over to protect it; a golden diademed39 helmet on the head, and a javelin40 in each man’s hand.
149
Once, a chief, being jealous of the splendour of the Fenian princes, became their bitter enemy, and set himself to curse Bran above all hounds in the land.
But Fionn answered, “If thou shouldest curse Bran, my wise, intelligent dog, not a room east or west in thy great mansion41 but I will burn with fire.”
So Bran rested on the mountain with Fionn, his lord and master, and was safe from harm.
Yet, so fate decreed, Bran finally met his death by means of a woman. One day a snow-white hart, with hoofs42 that shone like gold, was scented43 on the hill, and all the hounds pursued, Bran leading. Hour after hour passed by, and still the hart fled on, the hounds following, till one by one they all dropped off from weariness, and not one was left save Bran. Then the hart headed for the lake, and reaching a high cliff, she plunged44 from it straight down into the water; the noble hound leaped in at once after her, and seized the hart as she rose to the surface; but at that instant she changed into the form of a beautiful lady, and laying her hand upon the head of Bran, she drew him down beneath the water, and the beautiful lady and Fionn’s splendid hound disappeared together and were seen no more. But in memory of the event the cliff from which he leaped is called Coegg-y-Bran; while the lake and the castle beside it are called Tiernach Bran (the lordship of Bran) to this day. So the name and memory of Fionn’s hound, and his wisdom and achievements are not forgotten by the people; and many dogs of the chase are still called after him, for the name is thought to bring luck to the hunter and sportsman. But the Cailleach Biorar (the Hag of the Water) is held in much dread45, for it is believed that she still lives in a cave on the hill, and is ready to work her evil spells whenever opportunity offers, and her house is shown under the cairn, also the beaten path she traversed to the lake. Many efforts have been made to drain the lake, but the Druid priestess, the Hag of the Water, always interferes46, and casts some spell to prevent the completion of the work. The water of the lake has, it is said, the singular property of turning the hair a silvery white; and the great Fionn having once bathed therein, he emerged a withered47 old man, and was only restored to youth by means of strong spells and incantations.
In Cormac’s Glossary48 there is an interesting account of how the first lapdog came into Ireland, for the men of Britain were under strict orders that no lapdog should be given to the Gael, either of solicitation49 or of free will, for gratitude50 or friendship.
Now it happened that Cairbré Musc went to visit a friend of his in Britain, who made him right welcome and offered him everything he possessed51, save only his lapdog, for that was for150bidden by the law. Yet this beautiful lapdog was the one only possession that Cairbré coveted52, and he laid his plans cunningly to obtain it.
There was a law at that time in Britain to this effect: “Every criminal shall be given as a forfeit53 for his crime to the person he has injured.”
Now Cairbré had a wonderful dagger54, around the haft of which was an adornment55 of silver and gold. It was a precious jewel, and he took fat meat and rubbed it all over the haft, with much grease. Then he set it before the lapdog, who began to gnaw56 at the haft, and continued gnawing57 all night till the morning, so that the haft was spoiled and was no longer beautiful.
Then on the morrow, Cairbré made complaint that his beautiful dagger was destroyed, and he demanded a just recompense.
“That is indeed fair,” said his friend, “I shall pay a price for the trespass58.”
“I ask no other price,” said Cairbré, “than what the law of Britain allows me, namely, the criminal for his crime.”
So the lapdog was given to Cairbré, and it was called ever after Mug-Eimé, the slave of the haft, which name clung to it because it passed into servitude as a forfeit for the trespass.
Now when Cairbré brought it back to Erin with him, all the kings of Ireland began to wrangle59 and contend for possession of the lapdog, and the contention60 at last ended in this wise—it was agreed that the dog should abide61 for a certain time in the house of each king. Afterwards the dog littered, and each of them had a pup of the litter, and from this stock descends62 every lapdog in Ireland from that time till now.
After a long while the lapdog died, and the bare skull63 being brought to the blind poet Maer to try his power of divination64, he at once exclaimed, through the prophetic power and vision in him, “O Mug-Eimé! this is indeed the head of Mug-Eimé, the slave of the haft, that was brought into Ireland and given over to the fate of a bondsman, and to the punishment of servitude as a forfeit.”
The word hound entered into many combinations as a name for various animals. Thus the rabbit was called, “the hound of the brake;” the hare was the “brown hound;” the moth65 was called “the hound of fur,” owing to the voracity66 with which it devoured67 raiment. And the otter68 is still called by the Irish Madradh-Uisgue (the dog of the water).
The names of most creatures of the animal kingdom were primitive69, the result evidently of observation. Thus the hedgehog was named “the ugly little fellow.” The ant was the “slender one.” The trout70, Breac, or “the spotted,” from the skin. And the wren71 was called “the Druid bird,” because if any one under151stood the chirrup, they would have a knowledge of coming events as foretold72 by the bird.
点击收听单词发音
1 weird | |
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 superstition | |
n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 superstitions | |
迷信,迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 ominous | |
adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 lamentation | |
n.悲叹,哀悼 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 antiquity | |
n.古老;高龄;古物,古迹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 cadenced | |
adj.音调整齐的,有节奏的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 hymns | |
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 dirge | |
n.哀乐,挽歌,庄重悲哀的乐曲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 precisely | |
adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 overflow | |
v.(使)外溢,(使)溢出;溢出,流出,漫出 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 presage | |
n.预感,不祥感;v.预示 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 omens | |
n.前兆,预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 shrouded | |
v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 );保密 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 pervading | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 deter | |
vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 vileness | |
n.讨厌,卑劣 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 applied | |
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 lithe | |
adj.(指人、身体)柔软的,易弯的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 bard | |
n.吟游诗人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 bardic | |
adj.吟游诗人的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 vigour | |
(=vigor)n.智力,体力,精力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 venom | |
n.毒液,恶毒,痛恨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 courteous | |
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 manly | |
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 puissant | |
adj.强有力的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 demon | |
n.魔鬼,恶魔 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 knights | |
骑士; (中古时代的)武士( knight的名词复数 ); 骑士; 爵士; (国际象棋中)马 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 mantle | |
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 diademed | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 javelin | |
n.标枪,投枪 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 hoofs | |
n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 scented | |
adj.有香味的;洒香水的;有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 interferes | |
vi. 妨碍,冲突,干涉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 glossary | |
n.注释词表;术语汇编 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 solicitation | |
n.诱惑;揽货;恳切地要求;游说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 coveted | |
adj.令人垂涎的;垂涎的,梦寐以求的v.贪求,觊觎(covet的过去分词);垂涎;贪图 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 forfeit | |
vt.丧失;n.罚金,罚款,没收物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 dagger | |
n.匕首,短剑,剑号 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 adornment | |
n.装饰;装饰品 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 gnaw | |
v.不断地啃、咬;使苦恼,折磨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 gnawing | |
a.痛苦的,折磨人的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 trespass | |
n./v.侵犯,闯入私人领地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 wrangle | |
vi.争吵 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 contention | |
n.争论,争辩,论战;论点,主张 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 abide | |
vi.遵守;坚持;vt.忍受 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 descends | |
v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 );下去;下降;下斜 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 skull | |
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 divination | |
n.占卜,预测 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 moth | |
n.蛾,蛀虫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 voracity | |
n.贪食,贪婪 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 devoured | |
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 otter | |
n.水獭 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 primitive | |
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 trout | |
n.鳟鱼;鲑鱼(属) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 wren | |
n.鹪鹩;英国皇家海军女子服务队成员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 foretold | |
v.预言,预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |