Tradition / Region: Welsh Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dog
The Myth
Gelert was the loyal hunting dog of the Welsh ruler Llywelyn the Great.
One day Llywelyn went out hunting, leaving his infant child at home. Gelert remained behind to guard the house. When the prince returned, he found the scene in chaos. The cradle was overturned, the child nowhere in sight, and Gelert rushed forward to greet him with blood smeared around his mouth.
Seeing this, Llywelyn believed the worst. Thinking the dog had killed the child, he drew his sword in anger and struck Gelert down.
As the dog gave a final cry, Llywelyn suddenly heard another sound — the crying of his baby. Searching the room, he found the child alive beneath the overturned cradle. Nearby lay the body of a wolf, slain by Gelert while defending the infant.
Realizing what he had done, Llywelyn was filled with grief. He had killed the faithful dog who had saved his son’s life. He buried Gelert with honor, raising a grave in memory of his loyalty and sacrifice.
It was said that from that day forward Llywelyn never smiled again, and the echo of Gelert’s dying cry remained with him for the rest of his life.
Thus Gelert was remembered as the faithful hound who died protecting his master’s child, his story living on as a tale of loyalty, loss, and tragic mistake.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Gelert. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelert
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
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Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive