The Legend

English

The Legend of Gelert -Prince Llywelyn’s Faithful Hound

Just south of the village of Beddgelert (Gelert’s Grave), following the footpath along the banks of the Glaslyn, you will find Gelert’s Grave. According to legend, the stone monument in the fields marks the resting place of “Gelert” the faithful hound of the medieval Welsh Prince Llywelyn the Great.

The story, as written on the tombstone reads as follows:

In the 13th century Llywelyn, prince of North Wales, had a palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, “The Faithful Hound”, who was unaccountably absent. On Llywelyn’s return the truant, stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master.
The prince alarmed hastened to find his son, and saw the infant’s cot empty, the bedclothes and floor covered with blood. The frantic father plunged his sword into the hound’s side, thinking it had killed his heir. The dog’s dying yell was answered by a child’s cry. Llywelyn searched and discovered his boy unharmed, but nearby laid the body of a mighty wolf which Gelert had slain.

The prince filled with remorse is said never to have smiled again. He buried Gelert here.

Cymraeg

Chwedl Gelert – Ci hela ffyddlon Tywysog Llywelyn

Dyma’r hanes fel mae’n ymddangos ar y gofeb:

I’r de o bentref Beddgelert, dilynwch y llwybr troed ar hyd glannau’r afon Glaslyn ac fe ddowch ar draws bedd y ci –Gelert.
Yn ôl y chwedl, mae’r garreg gofeb sydd yn y cae yn dynodi man gorffwys Gelert, ci hela ffyddlon Llywelyn –un o Dywysogion canoloesol Cymru.

Yn ystod y drydedd ganrif ar ddeg roedd gan Llywelyn, Tywysog Gogledd Cymru, blas ym Meddgelert lle arferai fynd allan i hela gyda’i gi ffyddlon, Gelert. Un diwrnod fe aeth Llywelyn allan i hela heb Gelert a oedd unman i’w weld.
Wrth i Llywelyn ddychwelyd i’r plas cynhyrfodd y ci, a oedd wedi ei orchuddio â gwaed, gan neidio i groesawu’r Tywysog. Canfu Llywelyn fod crud ei blentyn bach yn wag gyda’r gobennydd wedi ei orchuddio â gwaed ac i’r neilltu o’r crud. Mewn gwalltgofrwydd, gwthiodd Llywelyn ei gleddyf i fewn i gorff Gelert gan gredu ei fod wedi lladd y plentyn bychan. Wrth i’r ci udo fe glywodd Llywelyn ei blentyn bychan yn crio ac fe’i canfu yn ddi-anf.

Gerllaw y crud roedd corff blaidd nerthol – death yn amlwg fod Gelert wedi lladd y blaidd wrth iddo geisio amddiffyn y plentyn rhag anaf. Yn llawn edifer, claddodd Llywelyn y ci mewn pentref bychan sy’n cael ei adnabod heddiw fel Beddgelert.

Yn ôl y chwedl ni fu gwėn ar wyneb y Tywysog fyth mwy…