Black Dog?

[tinturtle]

Why do the other characters sometimes refer to Eslingen as Rathe's black dog? It's comes up once in Point of Knives, twice in Point of Dreams, and six times in Fairs Point. Many different characters say it, most but not all of them connected to law enforcement. I think of a black dog as an ill omen or as something like alcoholism that follows a

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[byslantedlight]

I meant to reply here the other day, and completely lost track of time and then forgot - sorry!

The black dog puzzled me too, because I think of it just as you do, but I seem to remember having a bit of a revelation one day and thinking that maybe Mud was Rathe's "brown" dog (can't remember what colour he was, though I'm guessing brown), trotting along at his heels during ghost tide, and so people who knewthat described Philip as his "black dog" because of his hair etc., and because he trotted along at Rather's shoulder. *g*

At least I think that was the revelation I had - I think I read something that seemed to make sense of it, but of course I can't remember now. I'm actually on a re-read at the moment, and up to Point of Sighs, so maybe it'll come to me as I carry on....