68 DOGS 



pected, that they should bring their dogs to church with 

 them. Even now on that day, though the people do not 

 go to church accompanied by their canine friends, they talk 

 as if they were going to do so, and pleasantly ask one 

 another in the afternoon : ' Did you take your dog to mass 

 this morning ? ' 



November 3 is St. Hubert's Day, who is the patron 

 saint of dogs. He is, first of all, the patron saint of 

 hunters, but he is held to have special authority over dogs, 

 and to him are addressed prayers for cure or protection 

 from hydrophobia. Hubert was in the early days of 

 Christianity a prince of Lifege, and was so passionately 

 fond of hunting that he neglected his duties as a chieftain 

 and as a man, and, accompanied by his beloved dogs, con- 

 tinually engaged in the chase. Even on holy days the 

 sound of his horns and the barking of his pack clashed dis- 

 cordantly with the ringing of the church bells. But on 

 one of these holy days (Good Friday), Hubert whilst 

 hunting was confronted, it is said, with a vision of a stag 

 bearing a bright cross between its antlers. This so deeply 

 impressed St. Hubert that he gave up his boisterous life, 

 undertook a pilgrimage, and became a bishop of holy life 

 and beneficent influence. But even in his saint-hood it 

 was said that he never lost his wonderful influence over 

 dogs and other animals. 



