| |
| |
|
Pets Information |
|
|
|
The Grave of Gelert
Just south of Snowdon, in the grey-stoned village of Beddgelert set among the wild mountains of Wales, is the Grave of Gelert. Here, in a beautiful meadow below Cerrig Llan, is a large stone slab lying on its side with two upright slabs which owes its fame to the legend of Prince Llewelyn ap Iorwerth and his faithful hound. Llewelyn (1173-1240 CE) was very fond of hunting and in the summer he lived in a hunting lodge at the foot of Mt.Snowdon. Although he had many dogs, his favourite was the brave Gelert, his great Irish Wolfhound, not only a dog fearless in the hunt, but a loyal friend and companion at the fireside. One fateful day on the hunt, Gelert refused to accompany his master further, but instead he ran howling back to the Lodge. When Llewellyn returned he was met by his dog, bounding to meet him, but splashed with blood around his muzzle. On entering his living quarters, Llewellyn found a scene of confusion with rooms disordered and articles scattered in heaps. Now Llewelyn had a son, barely a year old, and as the prince recalled how Gelert and his little boy used to play together, a terrible thought came to his mind ! He rushed to the nursery only to find the the cradle was overturned, the bed clothes bloody and though he looked frantically for his son, the child could not be found. Turning to Gelert, whose muzzle was still wet with blood, Llewelyn came into a great rage and cried, "Thou hast killed my only son!", and drew his sword and drove it into the heart of the hound. Then - as all was silent but for the steady drip of blood onto the stone flag floor, the wail of a baby could be heard. On searching further Llewellen found his son safe and well, lying next to the body of a large grey wolf. It was plain to see what had happened ! Gelert had killed the wolf whilst defending the baby from attack. Overcome with grief at his hasty action, Llewellyn buried Gelert with all honour and raised a memorial over his grave. From then on the settlement was known as Beddgelert, meaning "Gelert's Grave" and this is the traditional tale still told today. Where do these tales come from ? It's possible that the village of Beddgelert received its name from an Irish Wolf Hound given to Llewellyn as a gift by his father-in-law, King John of England. Irish Wolfhounds were known and admired in Rome as early as 391 C.E. when the first mention of the breed was written by the Roman Consul Quintus Aurelius, who had received seven of them as a gift which "all Rome viewed with wonder." The story of a dog slain in error after killing a wolf seems to have been attached to Llewellyn about 1793-4 by a local inn-keeper. A common enough occurrence along the same lines of hotels and taverns placing signs like "Ye Olde Inne" to attract more custom. William Spencer visited Beddgelert and, on hearing the tale, wrote his popular ballad about the faithful Gelert and so the story grew into the speech and hearsay of Wales However, the legend behind all this folklore is extremely old, though the animals involved originally were neither wolves nor dogs. A mongoose who saved a Brahmin's son from a snake is found in the Indian Panchatantra. It was written in Sanskrit sometime in the third century C.E and later translated into Persian and Arabic. We find it in the Book of Sindibad and thence our own Arabian Nights The mongoose wasn't known in the Arab world, so it became a weasel, and then a dog. The snake remained. A version of this story reached Wales and was recorded in the 14th century in the Red Book of Hergest. In Welsh folktales the snake is replaced by a wolf probably because it was a more likely attacker and already had a fearsome reputation So in this tale we see how time, folklore and story-telling around the fire has fused together traditions from many sources and created them into a legend still honoured at Gelert's Grave. Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions, and specialises in celebrations for women. http://celebrant.yarralink.com
MORE RESOURCES:
pets - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Are You Listening To Your Cat Talking? Is your cat talking to you?Many cat lovers claim that their feline pets talk to them. They believe their cats can communicate vocally with them and tell them what they want, how they are feeling, and ask how their day has been! So, can domestic cats talk? Can the meows and trills that emanate from your kitty really be described as your cat talking to you?Yes it can!, and no it can't. Our Pets Having a pet is an experiance that I think everyone should have. It reaches us on a level that few other experiances can. First Aid for Felines - How to Keep Your Car Safe from Harm Cats are known for their curious and adventurous nature. Curiosity doesn't always kill the cat, but can often cause injury. Training Your Dog to Sit Training your dog to "sit" is probably the first thing you will train your puppy to do. I write puppy because you can start the training as soon as the puppy has settled in his new home. Scottie & Westie - This Mistake is Perfectly Understandable Show an uninformed dog lover a photo of a Westie, and they'd identify a Westie as a white Scottie. This mistake is perfectly understandable, since they do have similar physical attributes and both originated from Scotland. Protecting Yourself From Online Pet Classifieds Scams! Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies are world wide issues that have become widespread in targeting sellers and buyers everywhere specially on the Internet. Often this involves buyers from Nigeria, Africa, Holland and other countries. Canine Bloat What is Canine Bloat?Bloat refers to the bloating of the stomach. Essentially it is a build up of gas in the stomach which is unable to be released. Canine Infectious Hepatitis What is Canine Infectious Hepatitis?The word hepatitis refers to an inflamation of the liver. First reported in 1947, Canine Infectious Hepatitis (CIH), is a caused by canine adenovirus. 4 Ways In Which You Can Spoil Your Dog Rotten You spoil your pooch as close to rotten as you can get, don't you? Hey, who doesn't? It's almost impossible not to, with those adorable, big, beautiful eyes, the little lashes, the soft fur just behind the ears? they almost beg to be spoiled. But what can you really do? There are all of those new doggie day spas, doggie day cares, and other doggie luxury services, but how often can you really afford things like that? I mean, most people rarely have enough cash in the bank to get themselves a surprise manicure and pedicure, much less spring for their pups to get a quadripedicure. Is Your Dog In Pain Without You Realising? A dog that is feeling pain can often be highly unpredictable. When you handle a dog in that you suspect to be in pain, you should always proceed with great care. Dog Aggressive Training: Understand & Eliminate Your Dogs Aggressive Behavior Aggression behavior in a dog is a normal form of canine communication similar to human frustration or anger. Like human, aggressive behavior occurs in every dog. The Sporting Westie Terrier Because it is intelligent and energetic, a Westie terrier is well suited for a number of dog events. Some competitions it might participate in are geared toward the Westie's natural instinct to hunt down prey and pursue it into its den. Feeding Your Pet Stingray - The Essentials of Maintaining a Varied Diet Stingrays will eat a wide variety of foods. Maintaining a varied diet is extremely important in captive animals, as monocultural diets incur a risk of nutritional deficiencies. Breeding Your Goldfish If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know that it's not an easy task. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of space in the tank and quite a bit of money too. Oscar Oscar is kind of a funny name and it fit you. Other than a Dachshund, I had never seen a two-foot long dog with such short legs. Pet Pampering Business is Booming It's no secret that Americans love their pets. In fact, we spend billions of dollars every year on feeding, grooming, and vet visits, as well as toys and other pampering supplies. Seizures in Pets Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can be a most frightening experience. During seizures pets often lose control, fall over, chomp their teeth, salivate or drool, whine, paddle with their feet, and begin to urinate or deficate on themselves. Dog Behavior Training: Methods of Working with a Shy Dog Shy dogs are more common than most people think, but unfortunately many dogs who suffer from this affliction are never seen by the general public because of their impairment. Shy dogs range from those who scurry away when someone walks by, to those who bite when approached. How to Housebreak Your Dog or Puppy Dogs are creatures of habit; and once they develop a habit, breaking it can be a long, frustrating process. Your dog needs guidance and encouragement from you to develop a toilet habit you can live with. The 5 Things You Should Know Before Breeding Cats The cat population is astronomical. Most experts agree that average cat owners should spay their cat, not breed.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
