Tradition / Region: Danish Mythology, Swedish Mythology, Icelandic Mythology
Alternate Names: Raka, Rakke, Rakken, Saurr
Category: Dog: Mock king / royal animal
The Myth
In the old northern histories, there are tales of a strange and humiliating rule — the time when a dog was made king over men.
One version tells that after the deaths of the Danish rulers Haldan and Helgi, the Danes fell under the power of a foreign king from Sweden. Instead of sending them a prince or governor, the conqueror sent them a small dog and commanded that it should be their king. He warned that anyone who brought him news of the dog’s death would pay with his life.
The Danes were forced to accept the animal as their ruler. For a time the dog was treated with ceremony and obedience. But one day, when larger dogs began fighting, the small royal dog leapt among them and was torn apart.
No one dared announce what had happened. At last a herdsman named Snyo went to the foreign king’s court. Speaking in riddles and clever words, he maneuvered the king into declaring the dog dead himself. Because the king had spoken it, Snyo was spared and was then made king of Denmark in the animal’s place.
Another northern tale tells of a conqueror who invaded Norway and defeated its aged ruler. To shame the defeated people, he placed a dog upon the throne and ruled the country through officials who acted in the animal’s name. The dog was surrounded by nobles and guards, and strict laws were given that anyone who failed to show it proper honor would be punished. Thus the land was forced to bow before a beast.
A further story speaks of King Eysteinn, who conquered the region of Trondheim. After the people killed the son he had set over them, the king returned in anger and gave them a cruel choice: they must take either his slave Thorer or his dog Saurr as their new ruler.
Believing a dog would be easier to endure, the people chose Saurr.
The dog was treated as a true king. He was given a golden collar, a throne, attendants, and a great hall to dwell in. Judgments were issued in his name, and decrees were marked with the print of his paw. For three years the land lived under the rule of the animal king.
At last wolves broke into the fold where Saurr was kept and tore him to pieces. So ended the strange reign of the dog king.
Yet the memory of these tales remained strong enough that poets spoke of the time when men bowed to a dog, and songs were even sung in honor of the beast who had once worn a crown.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Dog king. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_king
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive