The Holy Greyhound: Guinefort, Healer of Children Since the Thirteenth Century (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780521108805)

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
ISBN-10: 0521108802
ISBN-13: 9780521108805
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 04/16/2009
Pages: 228
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.52d