Cu Sith
The Cusith, or Cu Sėth is an enormous fairy hound of the Scottish Highlands.
Etymology
Cu Sėth literally means "fairy dog.
Behaviour
Legend has it that the creature was capable of hunting silently, but would occasionally let out three terrifying barks that could be heard for long distances, including by ships at sea. This was said to be a warning to farmers to lock up their women, lest the beast abduct them and take them to a fairy mound (Scottish Gaelic, sėthean ) to supply milk for fairy (daoine-sėth) children. If a person was pursued by the Cu Sith, their only chance to escape the creature was to reach home before it barked three times. If this happened, the victim had no chance of getting away.
Powers
The Cu Sith was feared as a harbinger of death and would appear to bear away the soul of a person to the afterlife.
See Also
Origin - Europe - British Isles - Scotland - Scottish Mythology -
Tags - Fabulous Beasts - Animals - Black Dogs - Spectral Animals - Fairy Animals - Psychopomps -