Re: Kin to None
- From: Tim S <Tim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 03 Sep 2007 21:34:20 +0100
Helen Hall wrote:
In message <fbeq4s$cdg$1$8300dec7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Tim S <Tim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
[Lots of absolutely fascinating stuff snipped. I have printed it out for future reference.]
Sorry for not delving further. I stopped at the references in my book, I never though to Google for Jacobs and his actual information.
No reason why you should have done -- I was just a bit annoyed at myself for not having done any checking myself.
And what of the innkeeper? Jacobs says,
"According to Murray's _Guide to N. Wales_, p. 125, the only authority for the cairn now shown is that of the landlord of the Goat Inn, 'who felt compelled by the cravings of tourists to invent a grave.' Some old men at Bedd Gellert, Prof. Rhys informs me, are ready to testify that they saw the cairn laid. They might almost have been present at the birth of the legend, which, if my affiliation of it is correct, is not yet quite 100 years old."
So from this, it appears that Jacobs does _not_ believe the landlord to have been responsible for associating the legend with the town (which is indeed impossible for the timing) although he may have been responsible for the cairn.
This makes a lot of sense. After being pestered enough times about the grave, I can see someone deciding to build one just to keep the visitors happy. I can also imagine the innkeeper encouraging people to believe the story if it brought him more custom, though as you say, it sounds as though he was probably not responsible for linking legend and town in the first place.
Yes, it does seem to make sense, although it's a lot less dramatic than the version where he was responsible for maliciously creating an entire legend!
So apparently Jenkins, though he may have correctly identified the innkeeper, did not correctly identify the source of the legend. Except that I don't have Jenkins actual words ... all I have is a quotation from http://www.irishwolfhounds.org/gelert.htm (and elsewhere) purporting to be from Eric Parker's book, _Best of Dogs_ who (according to the website) referenced Jenkins' 1899 book _Bedd Gelert: Its Facts, Fairies and Folklore_ as a source for his own (apparently quite inaccurate) account:
It's always more complicated that it at first appears! It definitely looks as though Michelle could safely use the name if she wishes.I wonder what that elusive "15th century manuscript" was supposed to be?
Sorry for the long post. I hope this clears up some things.
Maybe one of the Cattwg thingies, or a version of the Seven Wise Men thingy, or the Warwick Roll -- who knows?
There was also a mention of a similar hound legend in the Mabinogion, but I can't think of one and it's so long since I read the whole thing
Me too. I should reread it. Some of the early stories were fascinating.
Tim
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