CHAPTERONE
TheWolf
AprincecalledLlewellynoncelivedinabigstonecastleinWales. Hehadonlyonebabyson. Hisbeautifulwifediedwhenthebabywasborn. Llewellynlovedhissonmorethananythingintheworld.
PrinceLlewellynwasrichandimportant. Hehadalotofbravesoldiersandloyalservants. Healsohadanold, loyaldogcalledGelert.
Gelertalwaystravelledwiththeprinceandfoughtwithhiminalotofbattles. HewasthebravestdoginWalesandtheprincesmostloyalfriend. GelertlovedLlewellyn’ssonverymuchandalwaysprotectedhim.
‘You’remybestfriend, Gelert, ‘theprinceoftensaid. ‘Itrustyoumorethananyoneintheworld. Onlyyoucanlookaftermyson. ‘Gelertwasalwayshappywhentheprincespoketohim.
OnesunnydaytherewasabighuntonPrinceLlewellyn’slands. Therewerealotofhuntingdogsandhuntersontheirhorsesnearthecastle. Llewellynheardthehuntinghornsandgotreadyforthehunt.
‘Imustgohuntingtoday, Gelert, ‘saidtheprince. ‘It’sthefirsthuntoftheseasonandit’sabeautifulday. ‘
Gelertlookedathismasterandbarkedhappily. Helikedhuntingandwantedtogotoo.
‘No, Gelert, ‘saidtheprince. ‘Youmuststaybymyson’scradleandprotecthimuntilIcomeback. ‘
Gelertlookedupattheprinceandlistenedcarefully.
‘Protectmysonwithyourlife, ‘saidtheprince. ‘Itrustonlyyou, becauseyou’remymostloyalfriend. Iknowyouunderstandme. ‘HepattedGelertlovinglyandthedogwaggedhistailhappily.
Theprince’ssonsleptinthewoodencradleinhisbedroom. Gelertwenttothecradleandlookedatthesleepingbaby. Thenhelaydownonthefloornexttothecradleandputhisnosebetweenhispaws. PrinceLlewellynwasreadyforthehuntandlookedatthecradleagainbeforeleaving.
‘Sleepwell, mydearson, ‘saidtheprince, smiling. ‘You’resafewitholdGelert. He’lllookafteryouuntilIcomeback. ‘
ThenPrinceLlewellynleftthecastlewiththeotherhunters.
Everythingwaspeacefulandsilentforsometimeinthebaby’sbedroom. ButafterafewhoursGelertheardanoise. Somethingwasstandingoutsidethedoorandwastryingtogetin. Gelertknewtherewasdangerbecausehecouldheargrowling.
Hegotupquietly, wenttothedoorandsawawolflookingathim. HewasmuchtallerthanGelert, buthewasthin. Hewasveryhungrybecauseitwasdifficulttofindfoodattheendofwinter. Hesmelledthebabyinsidetheroomandhewantedtoeatit.
Gelertlookedangrilyatthewolf’seyes. Theystoodatthedoorforafewminutesgrowlingateachother. Thensuddenlythehungrywolfjumpedtowardsthecradle.
CHAPTERTWO
TheFight
Gelertjumpedonthehungrywolfandpulledhimawayfromthecradlewithhisstrongteeth. Hedidnotwanttowakeupthesleepingbaby. Theblackwolfwasastrongfighter. HebitGelert’sneckandlegsbuttheolddogcontinuedfightingbravely. NothingcouldstopGelert.
Itwasalong, terriblefight. Butthebabysleptpeacefullyanddidnotwakeup.
Suddenlythecradleturnedoverandthebabyfellontothestonefloor, butstillhedidnotwakeup. Duringthefight, bothanimalswerehurtandtherewasbloodonthefloor, onthewallsandonthebaby’swhiteblanket.
Gelertwasbadlyhurtbuthedidnotstopfighting. Heknewhehadtoprotecttheprince’sson. Hebitthewolf’sthroatveryhard, andsuddenlythewolfwassilent. Heslowlywenttoadarkcorneroftheroomanddied.
Gelertwenttothesleepingbabyandlookedathim. Hetookthewhiteblanketwithhisteethandpulleditoverthebaby. Thenhelaydownandfellasleep. Hewasverytiredafterthelongfight, buthewashappybecausethebabywassafe.
ThatnightPrinceLlewellynreturnedfromthehunt. Heimmediatelywenttoseehisson. Whentheprincewalkedintotheroom, Gelertgotupandwenttohim.
Theprincesawtheemptycradle.
‘Whathappenedhere?’hecried, lookingatGelert.
Thenhesawthebloodonthewalls, onthefloor, onthewhiteblanketandonthebaby’sface. Buthedidnotseethedeadwolfinthedarkcorneroftheroom.
‘Oh, no!’criedtheprince. Hisfacewasredwithanger. ‘Gelert, whatdidyoudo?Youkilledmyson-myonlyson!AndItrustedonlyyou!’
Hetookhisswordandraisedithighabovethedog’shead. Gelertjumpedupandbarkedhappily. Hewantedtoplay. Hewantedpraisebecausehesavedthebaby’slife. Helookedattheprincewithhisbig, browneyes, tryingtotellhimsomething. ButtheprincewasveryangryandkilledGelertwithhissword. Thepoordogfellattheprince’sfeet.
Suddenlythebabywokeupandstartedcrying. Hewasonthecold, stonefloorandhewashungry.
WhenPrinceLlewellynheardthebaby, cryinghisswordfellonthefloor. Hewasalive!Helookedaroundtheroomandsawthedeadwolfinadarkcorner. Thenheunderstood.
‘TherewasaterriblefightinthisroombetweenGelertandthewolf, ‘hethought. ‘ThewolfwantedtoeatmysonandGelertprotectedhim…’
‘WhatdidIdo?’hecriedangrily. ‘IkilledGelert. Oh, whataterriblemistake!’
Heputhisfaceinhishandsandstartedcrying. Hecouldnotstop.
HelookedatGelert’sbodyandsawthebitesofthewolf. Heslowlytookthedog’sbodyinhisarms.
‘Mygreatandloyalfriend!’saidtheprince, crying. ‘Youfoughtbravelyagainstthewolfandsavedmyson’slife. ButIdidn’tunderstand-I’mverysorry, Gelert!’
PrinceLlewellynlookedathisdogandsaid, ‘I’llalwaysrememberthefirsttimewewenthunting. Andallthebattleswefoughttogether…Oh, whatwillIdowithoutyou, Gelert?’
PrinceLlewellyncouldneverforgetthatterribleday. HedecidedtoburyGelertinthegraveyardofthevillage. Onthatday, peoplefromthecastleandthevillagewerethere. Everyonewasverysad.
EverymorningPrinceLlewellynbroughtbeautifulflowerstoGelert’stombandsaid, ‘Goodmorning, oldfriend!’
IfyouvisitthegraveyardofBeddgelertinWalestoday, youcanseetheoldtombstoneandreadGelert’sstorythere.
