Canine Loyalty

[watervole]

Two stories from opposite sides of the globe.  Hachiko and Greyfriars Bobby.  (Scatmania mentions that Fry's dog in Futurama was inspired by these stories)

It's good to see that both dogs were fed by people who recognised their loyalty to their dead owners.

Comments

[jon-a-five.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't happen with a cat :-)

[nmg.livejournal.com]

It's my opinion that Greyfriars Bobby probably only stayed by his master's grave because people kept feeding him there. Smart dog.

Sadly, this sentimental Disneyfied tale obscures some far more interesting facts about Greyfriars Kirk, not least that it was where the National Covenant was signed, which led to the end of the Divine Right of Kings.

In a later, less glorious turn, the Kirkyard was also an open-air prison (read: C17th concentration camp) for over a thousand Covenanters awaiting trial. More details.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

What was the National Covenant? I've never heard of that.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Presbyterian movement (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory/union/features_union_covenanters.shtml) against Charles I's attempt to bring Scotland into line with the Church of England; one of the crises leading into the Civil War (http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/glossary/scots-national-covenant.htm).

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Interesting read. Thanks.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

There's another story about a dog who remained by her master's corpse after he fell from Striding Edge. Wordsworth wrote a poem called "Fidelity" and Landseer painted a picture called "Attachment". Since the man's remains were described as "skeletal" when he was found a few months later, the less sentimental explanation of her remaining by the body seems likely. Contemporaries tried to explain this away by suggesting he'd been eaten by ravens.

I don't think my cats would have the nous to eat me, but I wouldn't object if they were desperate.

To be fair to the loyalty side of the story, one of my previous cats showed signs of great distress when she got into my father's room some time after he died. The door had been shut, and we think she thought its opening meant that he was coming back; we found her howling in the empty room.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I don't think a dog could survive for a couple of months on one human carcase.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

It would keep you going while you honed your hunting skills on things that actually moved.

[melodyclark.livejournal.com]

I remember reading about Greyfriars Bobby (and sobbing my eyeballs out) when I was a little girl but Hachiko was a new one. Bless their little doggie hearts.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

As I am an eternal romantic, I was touched...
There are lots of similar stories that can get to you...:-)

[i-smell-shite.livejournal.com]

I often meet Iain near Greyfriars Bobby as he works close by and I'm based at City Chambers. I always say I meet you by the wee dog and that is where we meet!

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

There's also the story of Tip from Derbyshire.