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HOMELAND = original state
A HOD is a coal scuttle.
black dog = MELAN(choly), depression

homeland = original state (def)
hod- scuttle
melan (choly) - black dog

Thanks Mattrom, thanks Elle, much appreciated.

You're welcome, Brendan!
It took me a while to see it.....
I was stuck on "melan" being a prefix meaning "dark/ black" and for a time couldn't get past that., and see the "choly" bit!!