Gelert the Legendary Welsh Dog

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Black dog running energetically in water, showcasing playful joy in nature.
Credit: pexels.com, Black dog running energetically in water, showcasing playful joy in nature.

Gelert the Legendary Welsh Dog is a fascinating figure in Welsh folklore. He's said to be a giant dog, often depicted as a hound or a wolf-like creature.

In medieval Welsh literature, Gelert is described as a loyal companion to Prince Llewelyn the Great. He's known for his bravery and loyalty, which ultimately leads to his tragic fate.

Gelert is often associated with the legend of the "Gelert of Beddgelert" story, which tells of a prince who kills his own dog, thinking it's a wolf that's attacked his son.

The Legend

The Legend of Gelert is a heart-wrenching tale of loyalty and misunderstanding. Gelert was the beloved hunting dog of Prince Llywelyn, a 13th Century Prince of Wales.

Gelert was a type of wolfhound, known for its bravery and faithfulness. His owner was Llywelyn.

Upon Llywelyn's return from the hunt, Gelert bounded over to his master with blood smeared all over him, exhausted from a battle with a wolf. The wolf had gotten into the baby's room and was prowling around the cradle, ready to strike.

Credit: youtube.com, The legend of Beddgelert - Gelert the Faithful Hound

Llywelyn was alarmed by Gelert's appearance and mistakenly believed his loyal dog had killed his own child. He took his sword and plunged it into Gelert's heart.

The baby, however, was not harmed and began to cry upon hearing Gelert's dying yell. This led Llywelyn to realize his mistake.

Prince Llywelyn was devastated by his error and cradled his beloved dog before giving him a royal burial ceremony. The burial took place in a stunning, green spot beside the river.

The village where Gelert was buried is named after him, translating quite literally to the 'Bed of Gelert', or 'Gelert's Grave'.

Grave and Death

The grave of Gelert is located in Beddgelert, a village in Wales.

Gelert's grave is often associated with the legend of his death, which is a well-known and loved story in Wales.

The village of Beddgelert took its name from an early saint named Kilart or Celert, not from the dog Gelert.

Credit: youtube.com, Urban Legends: Gelert, legendary dog tragically killed after saving baby, real grave can be visited

The "grave" mound is actually ascribed to David Prichard, a landlord who connected the legend to the village to encourage tourism.

On the supposed grave of Gelert, there are two slate memorials, one in Welsh and the other in English.

The English memorial tells the story of Gelert's death, which involves a prince, a palace, and a tragic mistake.

The legend goes that Gelert was a faithful hound who was wrongly accused of killing the prince's son.

A mighty wolf was actually the one that Gelert had slain, and the prince was filled with remorse.

The prince is said to have never smiled again after realizing his mistake.

How Gelert Died in Bed

Gelert died after being mistakenly killed by his master, Llywelyn Fawr, for supposedly killing Llywelyn's child.

Llywelyn thought Gelert had killed his child because he found Gelert covered in blood and the child was nowhere to be seen.

Llywelyn was devastated to discover that Gelert had actually saved his child from a dead wolf that was by the child's side.

Gelert's bravery was too late to save his own life, and he died after being struck by Llywelyn with his sword.

Llywelyn was filled with remorse and buried Gelert near the banks of the river Glaslyn.

Gelert's grave is still visited by thousands of tourists each year.

Fact or Fiction

Credit: youtube.com, EP05 The Legend of Gelert, the Heroic Hound of Beddgelert: the real story behind the Welsh folk tale

The legend of Gelert has been passed down for generations, but how much of it is true? The town of Beddgelert took its name from a saint named Kilart or Celert, not from Llywelyn's faithful hound, Gelert.

The town's connection to Gelert is actually a marketing ploy from the late eighteenth century. The "grave" of Gelert is attributed to a David Pritchard, landlord of the Goat Hotel in Beddgelert.

The supposed grave of Gelert has two slate memorials, one in Welsh and the other in English. The English memorial reads: "Whether the story is based on legend, myth or history it is still an entertaining and engaging one but also a very sad one."

The memorial stones are less than 200 years old, which raises questions about their authenticity. The story of Gelert may be entertaining, but its connection to the town of Beddgelert is largely a product of marketing efforts.

Spelling and Pronunciation

Credit: youtube.com, How To Pronounce Gelert

The name Gelert is often misspelled as "Gelert" or "Gelert's", but the correct spelling is simply "Gelert".

The pronunciation of Gelert is also a common point of confusion, with some people pronouncing it as "Jelert" or "Gel-ert". However, the correct pronunciation is "Gelert" with a soft "G" sound, similar to "jelly".

Gelert

Gelert was a fearless hunting dog and loyal friend to Prince Llywelyn of Gwynedd.

Gelert was a gift from King John of England to Llywelyn.

The story of Gelert goes like this: as Llywelyn's party is dismounting, Gelert comes running out of the lodge covered in blood and wagging his tail.

Llywelyn's princess faints upon seeing Gelert, calling out for her child.

Llywelyn rushes in to find the cradle overturned, bloodstained bedclothes all over the floor, and no sign of his son.

Gelert dies after Llywelyn draws his sword against him, but as he dies, he whimpers, and the sound of a baby crying is heard from behind the overturned cradle.

Credit: youtube.com, Gelert's Grave | Story of royalty |@CrescentStorytellers

The baby is found unharmed, and the bloody body of a huge wolf is next to him.

Gelert had killed the wolf as it tried to attack Llywelyn's son.

From that day on, Llywelyn never speaks again, filled with remorse for killing Gelert.

Llywelyn buries Gelert in a meadow nearby and marks the grave with a cairn of stones.

The village of Beddgelert in North West Wales is thought to owe its name to the legend of Gelert.

There is no evidence to suggest the story of Gelert has a historical basis.

Ada Goodwin

Lead Writer

Ada Goodwin is a versatile writer with a passion for uncovering the hidden stories of our world. With a keen eye for detail and a love for the unusual, she has explored a wide range of topics, from the cultural history of Japan to the fascinating world of taxidermy exhibits. Her writing often delves into the lives of individual dogs, monuments, and statues, revealing the unique stories and histories behind each one.

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