Laelaps (mythology)

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Laelaps is a legendary Greek hunting dog who always catches what it pursues. Its origins vary: in one tale Zeus gives Laelaps to Europa, and it later passes to King Minos and then to Procris; in another version Artemis gives it to Procris. Cephalus then uses Laelaps to hunt the Teumessian fox, a creature that could never be caught. To resolve the paradox, Zeus turns both creatures to stone and places them among the stars as Canis Major (Laelaps) and Canis Minor (the Teumessian fox).