Moddey Dhoo

[wintercreek]

Oh man, you guys, I'm probably the last one to get this, but. Did everyone else get curious about the meaning of Moddey Dhoo and do a little googling? Because I just did, and found out that it's Manx for "black dog" and is one of the names (along with "Mauthe Dhoog") for the ghostly black dog/Grim that's said to haunt Peel Castle.

Also, courtesy of Wikipedia, a whole host of names for and legends about the black dogs of the British Isles. Did you know that "Padfoot" is one of the names used, in some parts, for the black dog?

A whole new layer of meaning behind Sirius's nickname and portrayal as the Grim just opened up for me, and now I'm wondering what the implications are in Moddey Dhoo's naming. Is it meant simply as a reference to the invisible and ghostly nature of the sanctuary, or is it also an homage to Sirius whose Grim Truths used to serve as a public face for the Order's resistance?

I note also that the black dog is not always a harbinger of death and doom; in some places it's a protector of children, an escort to women walking alone, and an ally of smugglers.

*resolves to spend more time on Wikipedia*

Comments

[gwendolyngrace.livejournal.com]

Uh... Yeah. Knew that when I read PoA, the first time, actually. But then, folklore and etymology are second-nature to me.

And isn't MD supposed to be near the Isle of Man? (Which is where Peel is.) I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that somewhere.

[spiffariffic.livejournal.com]

protector of children, an escort to women walking alone, and an ally of smugglers

Ooooooooh. I like that a lot. I never thought to look that up, thanks for sharing!

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

I knew that! :p

[lapin-agile.livejournal.com]

Ha!

[alt-player.livejournal.com]

Glad you've teased out some of the underlying meaning of the sanctuary's name! (And yes, we're ever so slightly smug about it.)

[lorax1.livejournal.com]

I stumbled upon the "Moddey Dhoo" thing a few months ago in a completely different context (I didn't google for it.) I did not know about "Padfoot".

[sternel.livejournal.com]

This is all new to me, and fills me with geeky glee. Thank you for sharing and thumbs up, players, for the cleverness!