Hell Hound

In many mythologies, there is said to be a big black beast in the bowels of the earth. In ancient Egypt, it is the god Anubis, in Nordic mythology, there is the monstrous wolf Fenris, and in Greek mythology, the gates to the underworld are guarded by the three headed dog Cerberus.

The wolf or dog is often thought to represent the unconscious, symbolic of the ‘lower senses’ of instinct as well as the lower world. The role of these beasts is often adversarial, however the clown’s relationship to them is generally more friendly. The depiction of the Fool in many tarot decks is a perfect example, as the fool is accompanied by a dog, sometimes playful, sometimes warning. One form of the trickster in Native American mythology is the dog-like Coyote, an embodiment of hunger, instinct and unconscious desires.

Done