Cu Sith: The Green Dog
The Hound of the Hills
The mist-covered moors of the Highlands are empty, but they are not uninhabited. Roaming the heather is a biological anomaly: the Cù Sìth (Fairy Dog).
This is not a domestic breed gone feral. It is an ambush predator the size of a young bull. Its fur is shaggy and dark green—a specific evolutionary trait that allows it to blend perfectly into the bracken and moss of the landscape. It is the designated hunter for the Daoine Sìth (Fairy Folk), and it does not hunt rabbits. It hunts nursing mothers.
The Three Barks
The acoustic signature of the Cù Sìth is its primary weapon. It does not growl. It bays with a sound that resonates physically in the human chest cavity. Legend dictates a strict protocol for this vocalization:
- First Bark: A warning heard from miles away.
- Second Bark: A closer, earth-shaking sound.
- Third Bark: The "death knell." Hearing the third bark is said to induce instant cardiac arrest from sheer terror.
The Milk Stealer
The ecological niche of the Cù Sìth is disturbing. It is tasked with kidnapping human women to serve as wet nurses for fairy children. The Hound herds women into the fairy mounds (duns). Once inside, the victim is trapped in the Otherworld, providing milk for the Sidhe. In her place, the creature leaves a "changeling"—often a wooden stock enchanted to resemble her corpse—to fool the grieving family.
Interaction Protocols
Unlike the spectral Black Dogs of England (which are intangible), the Cù Sìth is physical. It leaves footprints. It can be outrun.
- Seek Water: Like many Celtic spirits, it may be unable to cross running water.
- The Count: If the first bark is heard, the timeline is active. Immediate evacuation to a stone circle or church ground is recommended before the third pulse.
- Silence: The creature moves silently until it engages. Green fur in green grass makes it visually undetectable until close range.
The Final Warning
The Highlands are beautiful, but they are wide and lonely. If a green shape moves in the heather, do not assume it is a trick of the light. And if you hear a baying that sounds like thunder... start counting, because you only get to three.
