Hello Addicts,
They say that a dog is man’s best friend. They are cute, cuddly, protective, and sometimes scary. The latter description fits the topic of this week’s Nightmare Fuel: The Black Shuck.
There is a black shaggy dog that is a long time native of East Anglia in the British Isles, with legends from as far back as the 12th Century. It ranges in size from simply a larger dog to one the size of a calf. Some say it has a single glowing red eye in the middle of its head, some with a pair of glowing red eyes. It has been referred to as a hell hound, a devil dog, and even an omen of death. Legends say it is a killer, with some scant tales of the dog being friendly.
One of the more famous stories of The Black Shuck, or Old Shuck as he’s sometimes called, is from 1577. It happened at the Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh during a terrible thunderstorm. It entered the church with a clap of thunder, stalked past the congregation in attendance to attack a man and a boy. The devil dog then caused the church steeple to collapse through the roof before exiting. To this day, there is a mark on the church’s north door, they say, came from Old Shuck.
The tale of The Black Shuck shows itself in all manners of storytelling over the centuries. Incarnations of the beast appear in the worlds of Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes, movies, video games, and been a focus in music. There was even an ancient spirit form in the television series ‘Teen Wolf’ that called itself Shuck. It’s amazing how strong of an influence this devil dog holds after almost a thousand years.
So, the next time you’re out on the British coast or countryside, watch for a shape darker than the night or eyes burning brighter than coal embers. It might be a dog or a big cat with a bright eye-shine. Then again, you just might be in the presence of The Black Shuck.
Until next time, Addicts,
D.J.
P.S. — If you like this, check out my previous post about The Mothman.
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