When he made inquiries, he was surprised to discover that the supposed Saint Guinefort was actually a greyhound.
A modern illustration of Saint Guinefort byL.
In rage, the lord drew his sword and slew the animal.
Just then he heard the child cry.
Approaching the cradle he turned it over and discovered to his relief that his son was unharmed.
The lord buried Guinefort and piled stones over his grave to create a shrine.
The mother would then leave the child and would not return until the candles had burned out.
Often, the straw bed would catch fire and the flames would devour the child.
Other times, the defenseless child would be snatched away by wolves.
If the child survived, the mother would take it to a nearby river and dunk it nine times.
Only if the child came through this torturous ritual alive, he or she would be pronounced cured.
The legend of Saint Guinefort.
A 15th century woodcut.
He also felt that leaving children behind at the grave site with burning candles amounted to committing infanticide.
St. Guinefort was never officially recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
In fact, the church doesnt approve the veneration of animals.
There is similar story cautioning the consequences of hasty action from India dating back by thousands of years.
In this version, the dog is replaced by a mongoose who kills a snake and protects the baby.
The legend of Gelert.
Painting by Charles Burton Barber, circa 1890.
If Guinefort the dog never existed, where did the name come from?
The veneration of this Saint Guinefort of Pavia then spread throughout France and spawned numerous cult sites.
