GELERT K-9
GELERT K-9
FRIEND PARTNER DEFENDER DOG
FRIEND PARTNER DEFENDER DOG
The Legend of Gelert...
The Legend of Gelert...
According to legend, Gelert was the favourite
hunting dog of Llywelyn the Great, then the King
of Gwynedd and later ruler of all Wales. An
enthusiastic hunter, Llywelyn maintained a large
hunting pack. Amongst them were a number of
Irish wolfhounds gifted to him by King John of
England, including Gelert.
Before departing for one of his frequent hunts,
Llywelyn left Gelert behind to guard his infant son.
On his return, Gelert ran to meet him, his muzzle
and fur spattered with blood. Concerned,
Llywelyn ran to his son’s nursery, where he finds
the crib overturned and the room in disarray.
Blood was splashed across the walls and floor,
and his young son was missing.
Believing that Gelert had savaged the infant,
Llewelyn drew his sword and drove it through the
dog’s heart. Just then, he heard a soft cry from
beneath the upturned crib. On lifting it up he
found his son unharmed, alongside the corpse of a
large wolf. Gelert had bravely fought and killed the
intruder in defence of his master’s son. Overcome
with grief, Llewelyn conducted a grand funeral for
Gelert. Unable to ever make amends and haunted
by his beloved dog’s dying yelp, Llewelyn was said
to have never smiled for the rest of his life.
Photography:
Hawlfraint y Goron / Crown
Copyright
Words: Dark Tales Blog