Underdog, Hellhound, and the Dog of The Fool: the hidden symbolism behind the dog archetype
“This goes out to the underdog
Keep on keeping at what you love
You’ll find that someday soon enough
You will rise up, rise up,…”
That’s what Alicia Keys sings in her hit Underdog.
“An underdog is a person or group in a competition (such as sports, debate, or elections) who is expected to lose or to make no significant contribution. They are not taken seriously at first, or even ignored. When the underdog wins, it is considered a surprising victory,” according to Wikipedia. There’s a universal appeal in the story of the underdog, one that has its roots in the oldest and most unchanging cycle we know: the journey of the light.
The cosmic Underdog
I see the cyclical struggle of the Sun as the ultimate achievement of the Underdog. Around the winter solstice on December 21, the Sun reaches its lowest point in the sky. It is “down/beneath,” giving us the shortest and darkest days. At that moment, the Sun finds itself in its “underworld/hell.”
In Egypt, this descended, vulnerable Sun was personified by Anubis, the jackal-headed god. The jackals (creatures of twilight that wandered around graves) were perfect symbols of the boundary of time. Jack is another name for the Sun. Jackal can be interpreted as Jack joining Al/El (Saturn). On December 21, the Sun reaches the constellation Capricorn, ruled by Saturn. (This may sound a bit abstract now, but in my book The Dance of the King I explain in detail how the relationships between constellations and planets work.)
Anubis is thus a personification of consciousness (the Sun) during its stay in the dark, uncertain night- or winter period. From this lowest point in the sky – as the ultimate cosmic underdog – the Sun begins its upward journey. Day by day it gains ground, guided by an inner, indestructible loyalty to its own nature, until it reaches its zenith around midsummer. Truly the achievement of an Underdog! But who guides the Sun on its dangerous journey through the darkness?
Anubis (Egypt)
Xolotl (Aztec)
Cerberus (Greece)
Garmr (Nordic)
The Hellhounds
The human mind projected the need for guidance and unconditional loyalty during this dark phase onto the most loyal animal we know: the dog. Mythical dogs symbolize the instinct that leads us through the psychological “underworld” of fear, transformation, and self-reflection. Because dogs are excellent guides. Anubis guided souls to the scales of truth. The Four-Eyed Dogs (Persia) tested a soul’s worthiness on the Chinvat Bridge, while Xolotl (Aztec) led the soul through the nine levels of Mictlan. These guides symbolize the inner compass that never abandons us – so long as we have the courage to follow it.
Dogs were also seen as relentless guardians who protect the integrity of the soul. Cerberus (Greek) guards the exit of Hades; Garmr (Norse) guards Helheim. Even the terrifying Black Dogs (Celtic), who guard graveyards and crossroads, are essentially protectors of sacred boundaries. Their task is to ensure that the “underdog” does not return from their journey too soon or unprepared.
Finally, dogs are also linked to promise and healing. Panhu (Chinese) transformed into a human through loyalty. In Mesopotamia, the dog was associated with healing goddesses such as Gula and Ninisina. And the Chinese temple lions or Foo Dogs protect buildings from harmful energies. These stories show that when we remain loyal to our inner truth, we can undergo profound transformation.
The cosmic origin: Canis Major and Canis Minor
None of the archetypes mentioned above are coincidental. Their origin can be found in the stars. When the Sun makes its journey through the depths (and is in the position of an Underdog), two constellations are prominently visible in the night sky: Canis Minor (the Lesser Dog) and Canis Major (the Greater Dog). The Greater Dog, which contains the brightest star in our sky, Sirius (the Dog Star), is a beacon in the southern sky during the winter months.
These constellations are the true “hellhounds” of the cosmos. Their cyclical appearance coincides with the period of darkness and the vulnerability of the light. Humanity projected the instinctive and loyal qualities of the dog onto these celestial guardians, who watched over the Underdog/Sun until its rebirth. Even the ghostly, glowing eyes of the Cŵn Annwn (Welsh ghost dogs) can be seen as the distant, cold gleam of stars shining through the mist of the winter night. Both the Underdog and the Hellhounds are symbols of our soul. They remind us that our inner loyalty – just like the Sun overcoming the darkness – guides us through all fear and back into the light.
The Dog of The Fool
In a more positive way, we also see this scene reflected in the tarot. This card deck, mysterious or esoteric as it may seem, is a collection of symbols that evoke a deep sense of recognition and wonder. At least if you understand them. In the tarot, the very first card shows The Fool, accompanied by… his dog. The Fool is the exact mirror image of the constellations Orion and Canis Major (the Great Dog). And it is, of course, no coincidence that Kesil, the Hebrew name for Orion, means “Fool.”
The Fool card also symbolizes a new beginning. Just as Orion and Canis Major mark the (re)birth of the Sun around the winter solstice, The Fool – ever the true Underdog! – stands at the start of a new adventure with complete openness. After a period of introspection and reflection (your personal “dark days”), a spiritual new awareness awakens.
In earlier times, the lowest throw in a dice game (when you rolled four ones) was called a canis. This, too, refers to the low position of Canis Major on the winter horizon. And since we’re talking about Christmas cards during this season, you could say that The Fool is my favorite “Christmas card.” And it’s no coincidence that he appears on the cover of my book!! 😉
“When everything around you seems dark, look again.
Perhaps you yourself are the light.”
Jalal ad-Din Rumi
PS In December, under dark, cloudless conditions, Canis Minor and Canis Major are best observed between 9:00 PM and 1:00 AM. Around 10:30 PM, both are higher in the southern sky. Canis Major (easily recognized by its bright star Sirius) appears first, followed by Canis Minor.
Stop looking.
Start seeing what’s hidden in plain sight.
Every day, you are surrounded by symbols, logos, and images that shape your reality. But do you truly understand their message? In “The Dance of the King,” I pull back the curtain on the hidden origins and stories that the mainstream ignores. Once you’ve read it, you’ll never look at history, culture, media, or art the same way again.
