The legend of Gelert

It's Wales's most famous legend. The story of Gelert the Dog.

I was reminded of the story just recently, and will relate it here for the benefit of those who may not know of it.

In the 13th C, Prince Llewelyn the Great, of Caernarvonshire, was renowned as a great hunter, he would go hunting daily.

On one such occasion he called for his dogs, but his favourite 'Gelert' did not appear. Llewelyn went off hunting regardless.

When he returned to his castle, Gelert came bounding over to greet him, but Llewelyn saw that he was covered in blood. Fearing the worst he rushed to his one-year-old son's bedroom and found the walls dripping in blood, with no sign of his son.

He at once came to the conclusion that Gelert had savaged and killed the small boy, and immediately drew his sword and killed his beloved dog with a single strike through his heart.

It was when the dog was making his final pained death howls that Llewelyn heard the faint cry of a child. He found his son lying under his upturned cot, and lying by his side was a giant dead Wolf.

It soon became obvious that Gelert had killed the Wolf who had been trying to savage the small boy. Gelert had bravely saved his young son's life.

The distraught Llewelyn was so upset that he buried his beloved Gelert outside his castle walls, and raised a large cairn over the dog's grave so that the people of the village could see what a brave dog he had been, and also to express his own remorse.

That's it; the legend of Gelert!