when they are invisible to mortals, and of foretelling death by lamentable
howls. It is lucky to be followed by a strange dog. The Welch believe in
the apparition of certain spirits under the form of hunting dogs, which
they call dogs of the sky (cwn wybir, or cwn aunwy:) they indicate the
death of a relation or friend of the person to whom they appear, but
though generally accompanied by fire, are innocuous. The tradition of the
Spectre Hound of Peel Castle (Isle of Man) or _Manthe Doog_, is well
known. The religious superstition of Mahommedans lead them to consider the
dog as an unclean animal; but the dog of the Seven Sleepers, according to
a tale in the Koran, is, say the faithful, the only animal admitted into
heaven. A more sweet and soothing creed is held by "the untutored Indian,"
who believes that the faithful companion of his laborious mortal career
will accompany him into the everlasting regions; and, indeed, the idea
that animals possess actually an inferior soul, and that, maltreated as
they are on earth, they too have their appropriate heaven, has by many
been considered a speculation less superstitious than truly philosophical.

The miraculous circumstance of Balaam's _Ass_ being empowered to behold
that startling apparition which his rider's eyes were holden so that he
could not see, may have originated the superstition that animals behold
spirits when they are invisible to man. _Horses_, from frequently starting
at no apparent cause, have thus been placed amongst the seers. In the
Highlands it is deemed lucky to meet a horse; but, according to Virgil,
the sight of one of these animals was ominous of war, the reason for which
may be found in a horse being as a martial animal dedicated to the god of
war. The Persians, Armenians, and other ancient nations sacrificed horses
to the sun. Tacitus says the Suevi maintained white horses in the several
woods at the public charge, to draw omens from them; and there are to this
day vestiges in England of some superstition relative to white horses, and
of supposed Danish origin.