The Beltane Hound

The foxes are allowed to use public transport and bicycles, but not private motorized vehicles to try and outmanouevre the hound. Likewise, nobody is allowed to conceal the foxhound or help it in any way. This relatively new ruling dates from 1873 when one of Lord Laxey’s forefathers disguised that year’s Beltane hound as a pheasant thus confusing the foxes. One of the more drunken foxes did admit that he came across the creature, but mistook the dog’s growling for a bad case of pheasant laryngitis.

There have been some unfortunate events. The 1911 Beltane Hound was never found and it was rumoured that it was aboard the Titanic heading for a new life. The 1954 Hound had no sense of direction and swam over to Northern Island. Three foxes had to be rescued by the local lifeboat as they tried to catch the creature. In 1968 one of the foxes had too much to drink and tried to pin his rosette to a police dog in Ramsay, the capital of the Isle of Man. The police dog’s handler bit the fox, which had to be given a tetanus injection by the local vet as the town doctor was a teetotaller.

Excerpt from 40 Humourous British Traditions

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