Sir Didymus is a small dog, possibly a terrier, who guards the bridge past the Bog of Eternal Stench. He has taken an oath never to allow anyone to pass the bridge without his permission. When Sarah and her gang meet Didymus, he fights Ludo – insisting that no one can pass without his permission. So, Sarah asks his permission, and they carry on together.
Didymus speaks in a kind of reedy English patois, referring to Sarah as “my lady,” and never lets his diminutive size stop him from a challenge. He always tries to prove his bravery and lack of fear, often by attacking much larger opponents.
Sir Didymus is pretty old-fashioned, and his idea of a fun party is cracking out the old scrabble board.
My favorite part of Didymus is when he yaps ferociously. I don’t know why, but it’s always funny when talking dogs bark.
Didymus is also a really mysterious character. Who did he make is oath to? Who made him a knight? The only royalty we know of is the Goblin King. So did Didymus betray his royal patron to help Sarah and co?
But that pales in comparison to the bigger question – why does Didymus, a dog, ride another dog?!
This is crazy.
Ambrosius is Sir Didymus’ semi-noble mount, an Old English Sheepdog. He’s not nearly so brave as Didymus, and is often found cowering behind a convenient obstacle. His main interests include food, and hiding.
Right, so. Ambrosius is a dog, and Didymus is a dog. And one rides the other. This is the weirdest part of The Labyrinth to me. Read more on this blog post: When a dog rides a dog.
#1 by jaime on July 2, 2010 - 11:14 am
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Sir Didymus is a fox. Why a fox would ride a dog is another question for another day, but it does solve why a dog rides a dog.
#2 by Hogbrain on July 2, 2010 - 11:33 am
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Jaime, you’ve just turned my whole world upside down.
#3 by ronda on August 9, 2010 - 12:29 pm
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Sir didymus is a shitzu dog not a fox!
#4 by Hogbrain on August 9, 2010 - 11:16 pm
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Ronda, that is straight-up crazy talk.
#5 by JarethFan on November 10, 2010 - 8:20 pm
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I thought Didymus was a fox, cuz he seems to have a reddish tail with a white tip, like a red fox does. The stuffy version of him in Sarah’s room kinda looks like a fox too. Anyway, for sure he’s annoying.
I think it’s weird that Sarah never comments on how Ambrosius looks just like her dog Merlin.
#6 by Kyle on November 12, 2010 - 8:03 pm
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Sir Didymus is funny as hell and he cracks me up.”Alright then if I can conquer this mountain”
#7 by Shawna on January 27, 2011 - 1:00 pm
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He is clearly a yorkshire terrier. lol
#8 by Ameera on February 12, 2011 - 8:13 am
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sir didymus looks like a skunk
#9 by Sarah on February 23, 2011 - 10:18 pm
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A skunk? What kind of skunks do you hang around that are red and white?
#10 by paddy on March 31, 2011 - 9:01 pm
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sir didymus barks at humongous. hes definitely a dog. btw its definitely not ambrosius barking. he wasnt moving his mouth at the time whereas didymus was.
#11 by Tovah on April 12, 2011 - 2:10 pm
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Let the truth be told, Sir Didymus is a rat terrier/shitzu mix, thank you very much
#12 by Jay on April 17, 2011 - 7:02 pm
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Sir Didymus is a Chinese Crested. I have a Chinese Crested and he’s crazy, rather oblivious and devastatingly handsome, as is Sir Didymus. And I’m sure, if given the opportunity, he would ride another dog and stick a feather in his cap and call it macaroni.
#13 by Haley K on May 16, 2011 - 3:02 pm
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I thought he was a Pomeranian?!
#14 by Denis on May 20, 2011 - 7:46 pm
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Okay, here’s my long-standing theory about Sir Didymus’ knighthood. The key to it is in recognizing his distinctive fighting style; the one he uses when initially battling Ludo. Although he does attempt a few round-house swings and shorts jabs with his small cane/staff, his preferred tactic is to move in close and batter his opponent with a devastating barrage of quick, short blows. Go ahead and take a look again at his technique. Does it look at all familiar? Where might you have seen a diminutive warrior of no small repute wielding a cane/staff in a similar manner?
If you said Yoda while fighting R2D2 on Degobah in the Empire Strikes Back then you’re correct. That’s right, Sir Dydimus isn’t just any old knight; he’s a Jedi Knight, just like our diminutive Master Yoda. Deprived of a lightsaber, Yoda resorts to inflicting a flurry of blows with his cane/staff on R2; just as Sir Didimus does against Ludo in Labyrinth. Sir Didymus also likes to spring around and attack his opponent from unexpected directions; much like the younger Yoda does in his battle against Count Dooku in Attack of the Clones. The clincher is that they’re both small Muppets designed and manipulated in both movies by Jim Henson. The genesis for both characters lie with the same man!
So, all hail the brave Jedi Knight Sir Didymus! May the Force be with him.
#15 by Denis on May 20, 2011 - 7:54 pm
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Oh yeah, one more similarity I forgot to mention: both Yoda and Didymus chose to live in fetid swamps. Dunno why. Must be a Jedi thing…
#16 by Kelly on May 25, 2011 - 6:13 pm
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UM NO!!!!! Sir Didymus is a Chinese Crested clearly. look at the breed, my logic is undeniable..
#17 by Steven on June 5, 2011 - 2:34 am
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Denis, you are a genius. I totally agree with you.
#18 by Jenni on June 7, 2011 - 12:27 pm
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And I quote:
“Sir Didymus is a fox-terrier in Labyrinth, as specified by the presskit”
from teh Muppet Wikia. Need more proof?
Remember… this is a Henson creation… they don’t ever look just like what they’re based off of. If they did, Yoda would be a spitting image of Einstein.
#19 by S Falken on June 20, 2011 - 5:15 am
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Yes, i’m afraid to agree – Sir Didymus is actually some type of small fox. NOT a dog.
#20 by splurge on August 12, 2011 - 11:38 am
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he is a fox terrier
#21 by splurge on August 13, 2011 - 2:17 am
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or at least he looks like one
#22 by splurge on August 17, 2011 - 3:06 am
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but I why does He ride on a old english sheep dog?
#23 by lora on August 20, 2011 - 10:40 am
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no he looks like my dog!!! hahahttp://labyrinthfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/madness.jpghttp://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/182695_1652510631597_1201964898_31499639_6957065_s.jpg
#24 by elizabeth on August 30, 2011 - 4:39 am
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He is a Yorkie, 100%, no question about it. He is the split image of mine.
#25 by Katie on September 1, 2011 - 6:24 pm
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I always thought sir didymus was a fox but i have to agree with jenni in that being a henson creation means that we could all be wrong and henson casted him as a cat!
#26 by Sarah on September 3, 2011 - 12:57 pm
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Has anyone seen the advert for cheese on tv right now? Total rip off sir didymus!!
#27 by amy on September 3, 2011 - 1:49 pm
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He’s a FOX!!! always has been always will be!!!! xx
#28 by tammy on October 5, 2011 - 3:57 am
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Sir didymus IS a wire haired fox terrier which is a breed of DOG…. So he is in fact a DOG.
#29 by Mel on October 13, 2011 - 4:20 pm
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Ambrosius is a Shichon(Shi tzu/ Bichon Frise), same dog I have and Sir Didymus and he are an absolute delight to watch. I would watch scenes about those two endlessly. What a fun post to read about, thanks everyone.
#30 by Laura on October 30, 2011 - 9:29 pm
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@ Mel, Ambrosius is an Old English Sheepdog. Just look at how big he is. A shih tzu bichon cross is much smaller (obviously you know since you have one).
#31 by Linds on November 11, 2011 - 8:02 pm
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I’m not so sure about Didymus, I think he’s a fox/dog but I guess in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter. But the subject of Merlin the dog aka Ambrosius is a very interesting story, in King Arthur and the knights of the round table, the magician Merlin’s full name is Merlin Ambrosius. I can’t help but draw the parallel between the fact that Merlin the wizard/magician from king arthur is an all powerful being that can alter reality/go back and forth in time etc and Ambrosius/Merlin the dog is in the very begining of the movie watching Sarah act out the Labyrinth (he must have watched her do it a million times) and he shows up at the end of the movie – Is he the reason the Labyrinth came to life? Is he the magical one? Thoughts anyone?
#32 by Heather on November 14, 2011 - 11:41 pm
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Well, as for a dog/fox riding another dog… ever stop to think that both Pluto and Goofy are both dogs, yet one is the other’s pet?!?
#33 by Sarah on December 18, 2011 - 11:31 pm
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whats strange is that Sarah doesnt notice that all her toys in her room looks like everyone she has seen in the Labyrinth and the room with all the stairs if you look beside her bed she has a picture of that
#34 by Gazz on January 13, 2012 - 7:39 am
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I’ve always thought that Sir Didymus’s oath may have been sworn to Jareth. Didymus claims his oath says that “none shall pass this way without *my* permission!” which may have been what Jareth originally said to him meaning none may pass without Jareth’s permission, but Didymus being the over energetic person he is misinterpreted it.
This is further supported when the guard rushes in to Jareth’s throne room to tell him Sarah has reached the Goblin city as Sir Didymus is the only one he knows by name.
#35 by ludoo ' on May 1, 2012 - 2:42 pm
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Sir Didymus is a dog why do ya wanna no what breed a doga dog 1000% sure no a fox
#36 by Mazzy on August 13, 2012 - 1:50 am
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Why are you all arguing about what Sir Didymus is! and why he rides a Old English Sheepdog! Thats the magic of Henson, it dosnt matter people just enjoy!!!
#37 by Tino on September 18, 2012 - 8:55 am
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There is no way Didymus is a damn yorkie, unless you have red yorkies people…
He’s reddish-orange.
He’s also the most amazing character in a moving of amazing characters, many of which do not really exist. He’s either a fox, or some mutt kind of terrier, or just made up… and I love him, and I want to allow him into my home to stay forever.