Beddgelert - (pron. Beth-gelert)

‘There once was a Prince called Llywelyn, Dai bach,

The Lord of this Snowdon Wales,

Back in the mists of the mountain, when times

Saw wolves leave their blood-stained trails.’

 

(I sat by the Church of St. Mary out there,

The vicar stared out on his fold,

His rheumy old eyes held the myth and the lies

That the Welsh told the people of old!)

 

I listened, he spoke, and I doubted him then,

The story he told so bizarre,

But when he had finished, I bated my breath,

Walked musingly back to my car.

 

Llywelyn, the hunter, was given a hound,

A present from England’s King John,

A mighty wolf hound that he treasured and took

On his hunting trips, loping along.

 

The Prince had an heir that was merely a babe,

Still swaddled in linens and veils,

The child was his joy, he’d been blessed with a boy,

He was one of the Princes of Wales.

 

Llywelyn went hunting abroad with his pack,

The hounds were all baying the way,

The buglers followed, their blasts on the horn

Drove the hogs that were leading the fray!

 

The hunt brought them venison, gammon and fowl,

The hunt brought them mutton and game,

But Gelert, the hound, was nowhere to be found

Though the Prince called, and bellowed his name.

 

Llywelyn rode back to the palace at dusk,

Dismounted and looked for his son,

The cot was all bloodstained, the covers were torn

And a sign of the child, there was none!

 

Then Gelert leapt up, and he greeted the Prince

With a loud joyous cry in the dark,

His fur was all bloodied, his teeth dripped with gore,

And Llywelyn shrank back at his bark.

 

In thinking his son had been slaughtered, the Prince

Cried out as he lifted his sword,

And ran through the hound as he fell to the ground

And he cursed and he cried, the good lord!

 

But then came an answering, pitiful cry

From the child that lay under a bed,

The boy was uncut, but was smeared with the blood

Of the wolf that lay next to him, dead!

 

The throat had been torn from the wolf by the hound,

Brave Gelert defended the son,

And now that the Prince held the child in his arms

He reflected on what he had done!

 

He cradled the body of Gelert and wept,

And buried in honour his hound,

He set up a stone with the tale that it told

And it stands there today, on its ground.

 

The place is Beddgelert, in Gwynedd, look you,

And hundreds of years have gone by,

But history tells us, Llewelyn the Great,

Was never again seen to smile!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Arielle Ann]

a heartrending tale ...we often keep pets and claim to love them but never can return their loyalty the same...you wrote a tale in old english, in an ancient era but the truth reflects in modern society too...as for your write, as usual you are fantastic with an amazing plot and your awesome way of saying it in rhymes!

[EMF]

As marvelous a telling of a story as I have ever seen. From the style to the tale, a sheer perfection

[Pratik]

This is so absolutely brilliant sir! Its unlike anything I have read so far! It has that old charm, that feel of long lost mythology and charm of folk songs all into one... What a simple tale with a deep message you have conveyed in this piece... Animal behavior is stereotyped but we fail to understand that the virtue of loyalty is something that is deep rooted in them, much more than us- the humans... The rhyming is amazing! Nothing falls out of the place ... It is my utmost pleasure to read your work.. Thank you for the read :)

[Coyote Poetry]

A powerful story. Lost of a child leave the heart to mourn till death. I like the story in the poem. I like myth and story. This was very good. Thank you for the excellent poem.
Coyote

[Sean Allen]

There are things that we all wish we could take back. Probably none as sad as this story however. Well written David, in a style I like, I'm happy that it was recommended to me.

[Tate Morgan]

How easy it is to pass judgement in haste.I would have done the same.When your son is as stake kill them all and let them lord sort it out .As always Im awed by the wording used.I am not familiar with the names pronunciations But I can desern it out ,excellent

[patricia]

but Gelert the hound..could nowhere be found...(just a suggestion)
aww how beautifully sad, rythmically excellent. You spin yarns like a true Celt, I love it. This review does not get over to you just how much. Thanks David.

[Valentine]

Fantastic as only you Mate can tell it..I love when you write tales like this of old times..You my friend are a wonder..love to Lyn and you..Kathie

[roarke]

Quite the emotional tale. Your prose is so well honed, the reader must stop a moment to realize the impact of the story. I imagine this reads better than the plaque....