Good All My Gentle Friends:
This Winter marks the 2nd full year of research I am doing on a bona fide
Medieval saint that just happened to be.....(drum roll)... a greyhound!
Though my original goal was to have this as only a Society project, I've had
some fellow mundane writer friends encourage me to make it a book. About 20
years ago there was an extremely academic work published by a French professor
which has also long been out of print. So, not only would I wish to make this
subject more accessible to a wider audience, if I were to take on such a goal,
but I have also formulated my own, independent theories as to the origins of
this particular legend, and to its resonance amongst diverse cultures. So, for
now I say, "first things first"!
As I dug deeper into what prima fascially appeared to be a strictly localized
and Medieval legend (though adherents/petitioners to this saint still practiced
their belief into the early twentieth century), I found its origins to be of a
pan-Indo-European, Ancient World (and I assert Prehistoric) scope!
One thing that caught my attention during our current discussion is a comment
made by Jonneth about Saluki images being found on period coins. This intrigues
me because it attests to that sighthound's importance, perhaps even reverence,
in that particular culture. Also, as I relish the information I am receiving in
each one of my fellow gentles' posts about the research they have done on their
individually beloved sighthound breeds, and enjoy the snippets of legend on
that breed that they share, it makes me realize that many of you may have even
more valuable pieces to my puzzle!
There are many, somewhat varying, legends across the pan-Indo-European world
about the heroic, even selfless, sighthound. Usually, they include the common
elements of a noble's only heir being saved from mortal danger by the hound.
Many include the tragic element of the dog being slain by the noble because of
damning circumstantial evidence, and that lord's subsequent, heart-rending
realization of his false judgment and irreversible mistake. Many stories use
the term "greyhound" as we have discussed here: As a generic term for any
sighthound, or greyhound type.
But, the Guinefort legend added elements of a more detailed and longer
storyline, and the peculiar evolution therefrom of a petitioned saint, whose
greytest forte was the healing of illness, most especially of children. Now, as
many of you realize (I know the educated folk to whom I am speaking!), "saints"
were more often made by a kind of "popular vote", rather than by a formal
recognition process by the Vatican! Therefore, many saints were local, and even
took on the characteristics of the former pre-Christian pagan deities of that
particular location. I could go on here about the whole Jungian theory of
collective unconscious archetypes, but I know y'all know this stuff!
Digging deeper through the Middle Ages into the Ancient World, I have found the
possible contributory beliefs to this particular legend (that of the
supernatural, healing greyhound) in both the Asclepian and Mithraic traditions
(and in some areas the unique marriage of these beliefs) which found their way
into the consciousness of the early Western European, Eurasian and Middle
Eastern peoples by way of the Roman Empire; taking into account that these
stories and beliefs were more than likely counter informed by these cultures
(with the Romans perpetuating the "cross pollination"! Oy!).
Now, after that whole megillah, meanwhile back at the ranch....! What are your
particular sighthound stories of heroism and mysticism? If they are Medieval,
do you know of even older legends that might have contributed to them? Are they
Russian, Viking, Celtic, Indian, Persian, Arab or Asian? (I even just recently
found a Tibetan thangka which shows an ascetic meditating with his white
greyhound sweetly licking the monk's chin! Alas, it was about a hundred years
(but, only that) post period).
Also, if you would like to see a very interesting, moving and well-written film
on the legend of Guinefort, a film with quite a detailed eye for Medieval
authenticity, there is the French made movie: The Sorceress. Yes, it is in
French with English subtitles. They stubbornly insist on speaking French over
thar in France....but, isn't that just like the French?!
The screen writer/ researcher for this film, Dr. Berger, most generously shared
her research notes with me as a gift to my joyous project! Long live Dr. Berger!
Does any of this sound like fun? I have two personal email addys: [EMAIL
PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dost thou have artwork to boot?
Greyt Love,
Mevanwy and the Men in Black;
and my own two sainted ones watching o'er us
xoxo
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