Gelert`s Grave in Beddgelert
Gelert`s Grave in Beddgelert
Gelert was Llywelyn the Great’s favourite hunting hound, but he was getting old, and not always able to keep up with the pack after a hare or a stag any more. Nevertheless, Llywelyn kept him near, a constant companion as he journeyed from llys to llys to meet his people and see that justice was done throughout his domains. Back at home, among the family, Gelert was equally favoured, being a favorite playmate and companion for Llywelyn’s year-old son, trusted for his gentleness and good nature.
One of Llywelyn’s courts lay near the village of Beddgelert today. Here in the summer, Llywelyn and his wife and Teulu (warband) would sometimes rest for a few days on their progress from llys to llys and enjoy the good hunting the wooded valley offered. On one such occasion, it so happened that Princess Joan, Llywelyn’s wife had been called to visit a local priest, on the same day as Llywelyn and his men had planned to go hunting. And so, reluctantly, Llywelyn left his faithful old hound Gelert with a nurse to watch his young son and galloped off in search of a quarry for the banquet table that night.
The hot afternoon wore on to a beautiful, golden evening. The nurse slumbered in a chair beneath the shade of an apple tree as she rocked the sleeping prince in his cradle. She was roused from her slumbers by the cook calling for her help with some errand or other, and thinking nothing of it, left Gelert to guard the sleeping prince. Little did she know that a lone, hungry wolf had been watching nearby, and seeing his chance, slunk his way towards the tree and the baby’s cradle.
A little while later, Llywelyn and his men returned with a few fat hares ready for the pot. Gelert came to the courtyard, barking and wagging his tail to greet Llywelyn, but the old hound’s mouth was covered in blood. Alarmed, Llywelyn rushed into the nursery to search for his son, finding it empty and the door open to the orchard beyond, he went out to find the little prince’s cot upturned and nearby a bloody blanket. Blinded by his grief, Llywelyn thrust his sword into Gelert’s flank, but as the great hound let out a dying howl, the little prince let out an alarmed wail from beneath the upturned cradle. Llywelyn found the child safe and unharmed, and hidden nearby, in the shade of the apple tree the dead body of a thin, hungry wolf.
In his misery, Llywelyn clasped Gelert’s still warm but lifeless body to him and vowed to honour the brave hound who had doubtless defended the little prince and killed the wolf. Llywelyn kept his word and built a special grave for all to see. It is still visited by thousands to this day, and has given the village that grew up nearby its name, Beddgelert, Gelert’s Grave.
BEDD GELERT
Gelert oedd hoff gi hela'r Brenin, Llywelyn Fawr, ond yr oedd yn mynd yn hen, ac nid oedd mwyach yn medru cadw i fyny gyda'r helfa nag ysgyfarnog na hydd. Serch hynny, cadwodd Llywelyn ef yn agos, yn gydymaith cyson wrth iddo deithio o lys i lys i gwrdd â'i bobl a sicrhau bod cyfiawnder yn cael ei wneud drwy gydol ei dir. Yn ôl yn y cartref, ymhlith y teulu, roedd Gelert yn ffefryn gan bawb am ei addfwynder a’i natur dda, ac yn aml yn cael ei adael i warchod mab bychan Llywelyn,
Lleolwyd un o lysoedd Llywelyn ger pentref Beddgelert heddiw. Yma yn yr haf, byddai Llywelyn a'i wraig a’u Teulu gorffwys am ychydig ddyddiau ar eu ffordd o lys i lys i fwynhau'r hela da yn y dyffryn coediog. Ar un achlysur o'r fath, cafodd y frenhines ei galw i ymweld ag offeiriad lleol, ar yr union ddiwrnod yr oedd Llywelyn a'i ddynion wedi cynllunio i fynd hela. Ac felly, yn anfodlon, gadawodd Llywelyn Gelert, yr hen gi ffyddlon gyda nyrs y baban i wylio dros y tywysog bychan, ac yna carlamodd i ffwrdd.
Trodd y bore poeth yn brynhawn hyfryd, euraidd. Pendwmpiodd y mewn cadair dan gysgod coeden afal wrth iddi siglo’r tywysog yn ei grud. Cafodd ei deffro o'i chwsg gan y cogydd yn galw am ei chymorth gyda rhyw neges neu'i gilydd. Yn meddwl dim mohono, gadawodd Gelert i warchod y tywysog. Doedd ganddi’r un syniad bod blaidd llwglyd wedi bod yn gwylio gerllaw, ac o weld ei gyfle, yn sleifio tuag at y coed a chrud y baban.
Ychydig yn ddiweddarach, dychwelodd Llywelyn a'i ddynion a phentwr o ysgyfarnogod yn barod ar gyfer swper. Daeth Gelert, ai gynffon yn ysgwyd i gyfarch ei feistr yn serchus, ond roedd genau’r hen gi yn waedlyd. Dychrynodd Llywelyn, rhuthrodd i'r feithrinfa i chwilio am ei fab, a’i gael yn wag. Gwelodd bod y drws ar agor i'r berllan tu hwnt, a rhedodd allan i weld crud y tywysog bach yn wyneb i waered a gerllaw, blanced waedlyd. Yn ei alar dall, tynnodd Llywelyn ei gleddyf a’i daro i ystlys Gelert. Wrth i’r ci annwyl farw, gollyngodd un waedd boenus a dyma’r sŵn crio’r tywysog bach yn dod o dan y crud. Death Llywelyn o hyd i'r plentyn yn ddiogel ac yn ddianaf, ac wedi ei guddio gerllaw, yng nghysgod y goeden afal, corff marw blaidd tenau, llwglyd.
Yn llawn galar, cydiodd Llywelyn gorff difywyd Gelert ato. Addawodd anrhydeddu'r ci dewr a oedd wedi amddiffyn y tywysog bach wrth y blaidd. Cadwodd Llywelyn ei air, ac adeiladodd fedd arbennig. Caiff ei ymweld gan filoedd hyd heddiw, ac mae’r stori a’r bedd wedi rhoi enw i’r pentref cyfagos, Beddgelert.
