The Holy Greyhound: Guinefort, Healer of Children Since the Thirteenth Century

The legend of a dog which is unjustly killed by its master in error, after it has defended his child from attack by a snake or wolf, appears in several popular cultures of Indo-European origin. This book concentrates on one local manifestation of the legend: a cult among the peasants of the Dombes, north of Lyons, who brought their sick child to the grave of 'Saint Guinefort', the martyred greyhound, for preservation from disease. Providing a rare access to the underlying cultural traditions of Europe, all too often submerged in the survivals of literate culture, this book will be welcomed by a wide range of historians and anthropologists.

Author: Jean-Claude Schmidtt
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 06/29/2009
Pages: 228
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 9.02h x 5.98w x 0.52d
ISBN13: 9780521108805
ISBN10: 0521108802
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Folklore & Mythology
- History | Europe | General

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