Poems and other interpretations Gelert

who knoweth spirit of man... byam shaw (1901)

this story formed basis several english poems, among beth gêlert; or, grave of greyhound william robert spencer written around 1800; beth gelert richard henry horne; gelert francis orray ticknor , dramatic poem llewellyn walter richard cassels. tale alluded john critchley prince in lines 24 29 of poem north wales: thou hast not trod pilgrim foot ground / sleeps canine martyr of distrust, / poor gelert, famed in song, brave hound / ever guarded homestead, hut, or hall, / or leapt exulting @ hunter’s call; / ever grateful man consigned dust. despite this, , despite presence of raised mound in village called gelert s grave, historians not believe gelert ever existed.

it recorded in wild wales (1862) george borrow, notes known legend; brewer s dictionary of phrase , fable, details versions of same story other cultures; , nuttall encyclopaedia, under anglicised spellings gellert , killhart . john fiske discusses gelert in myths , myth-makers, saying regretfully swiss must give tell, must welshman deprived of brave dog gellert, on cruel fate confess having shed more tears should regard bestowed upon misfortunes of many human hero of romance. notes day visitor snowdon told touching story, , shown place, called beth-gellert, dog s grave still seen. nevertheless, story occurs in fireside lore of every aryan people.

the tale indeed appears in numerous cultures minor variations. alpine ligurian poem r sacrifisi dr can, written in ligurian, tells of how shepherd shot sheepdog after finding covered in sheep blood, later find dead wolf in stable.

in india, black snake replaces wolf , mongoose replaces dog. in egypt, story goes cook killed wali having smashed pot of herbs, later discovers pot contained poisonous snake.

in malaysian folklore, similar story involves tame bear, kept malay hunter guardian of young daughter. in story of gelert, hunter returns home expedition, , finds daughter gone , bear covered in blood. hastily thinking bear has devoured daughter, hunter kills spear, later finds body of tiger, killed bear in defence of hunter s daughter, shortly emerges jungle, took refuge.

in disney movie, lady , tramp (1955), tramp carried off pound after aunt sarah finds him in baby s room cradle overturned. luckily, lady manages show jim dear big, dead rat behind curtain, , realize tramp saved baby. happily in version of tale, gelert saved in time.

in 2002 incredible story studios made short film called return of gelert , written welsh schoolchild, depicts ghost of gelert returning haunt 21st century beddgelert.