The Cù-sìth, the Fairy Hound
In the Highlands, a huge dark-green fairy hound was said to bark three times before carrying someone off to the otherworld.
What was reported
The cù-sìth, 'fairy dog', is a creature of Scottish Highland folklore: a hound as big as a calf, with shaggy dark-green fur, a long braided tail and enormous paws. It was said to roam the moors in silence, leaving huge footprints.
It barked three times. Anyone who heard it had until the third bark to reach safety, or be taken away to the fairy world.
Explanations offered
Like other phantom dogs, the cù-sìth warned of the dangers of the moors at night. Its green colour ties it to the fairies of Scottish tradition.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Lochaber, Scottish Highlands
- Witnesses
- Highland tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.