224 



GREYHOUNDS AND THEIR MASTERS 



From the very earliest times English people have shown 

 a great love of greyhounds, although as long ago as the 

 days of Canute, no man who was not born a gentleman 

 was allowed to keep one. It must have been their beauty 

 that made them such favourites, and their pretty, caressing 

 ways, for they have not the cleverness of many other 

 kinds of dogs, though their great speed renders them 

 very useful in hunting small game, and even bucks and 

 deer. An old rhyme puts in a few words the qualities 

 that a man would look for in a greyhound, when, as often 

 happened, he wished to send one as a present to a lady, 

 and was anxious to get the best of its kind. It must be 



Headed lyke a snake, 

 Neckyed lyke a drake, 

 Footyed lyke a catte, 

 Taylled lyke a ratte, 

 Syded lyke a terne, 

 And chyned lyke a heme. 



When this prize was laid at the feet of the lady, the giver 

 might ask in return for anything he chose, for women at 

 all times have loved greyhounds, perhaps because there 

 is something that reminds one of a lady in their long 

 necks, small heads, and light delicate figures. 



No other breed of dogs has been so often mentioned 

 in history, or has had so many laws made about it. 

 Besides the regulation of King Canute, we find King John 

 taking greyhounds as payment for debts, and accepting 



