LOL, hopefully not while driving Dave !!
Did that once on a very long drive... I saw the "Black Dog"...
Black dog (ghost)
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Sidney Paget's illustration of
The Hound of the Baskervilles. The story was inspired by a legend of ghostly black dogs in Dartmoor.
A
black dog is a
motif[1] of a spectral or demonic entity found primarily in the
folklore of the
British Isles. The black dog is essentially a nocturnal
apparition, in some cases a shapeshifter, and is often said to be associated with the
Devil or described as a ghost or
hellhound. Its appearance was regarded as a
portent of death. It is generally supposed to be larger than a normal
dog and often has large glowing eyes.
[2] It is sometimes associated with
electrical storms (such as
Black Shuck's appearance at
Bungay,
Suffolk)
[3] and also with
crossroads, places of
execution and ancient pathways.
[2][4][5]
The origins of the black dog are difficult to discern. It is uncertain whether the creature originated in the
Celtic or
Germanic elements of
British culture. Throughout
European mythology, dogs have been associated with death. Examples of this are the
Cŵn Annwn (Welsh),
[6] Garmr (Norse)
[7] and
Cerberus (Greek),
[8] all of whom were in some way guardians of the
Underworld. This association seems to be due to the
scavenging habits of dogs.
[9] It is possible that the black dog is a survival of these beliefs.
Black dogs are generally regarded as sinister or malevolent, and a few (such as the
Barghest and Shuck) are said to be directly harmful. They may also serve as
familiar spirits for witches and warlocks.
[10] Some black dogs, however, such as the Gurt Dog in
Somerset[11] and the Black Dog of the
Hanging Hills in
Connecticut,
[12][13] are said to behave benevolently. Some, known as guardian black dogs, guide travellers at night onto the right path or guard them from danger.
[14][10]
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