Good Doggie - Tumblr Posts
Internal dialogue of Nellie Nelson from Heartstopper season 1
I'll lay on bed with you. Comfy. Snooze making. OH, Your face sad. I'm here My Nick. I got you. Its ok. I'll rest my head here. Oh kisses! Yay! You happy now? Good! My Nick pillow nice. I pup nap now.
***
Doorbell! Borf! Postman?! Get the door. Get the door. Getthedoor!... Oh? Are you a cat? I'm not cataphobic, I'm an ally.
Hello! Yes! YES, I am adorable! I like you. We going for a walk? My Nick happy. You must be a good boi! He pats my head when I good gurl! So you must be very good boi. No walk? Oh OK.
***
*Nellie!* My Nick summons me! I'm here! I'm here! We walking now
Oh wow! SNOW! Wow! Look! I catch some! Wow! You can make balls! BALLS! You are clever hooman! I catch balls! Why you not catch them? 'Cause you cat? I get petted when I'm good. My Nicks Charlie thinks I am good. My Nick thinks he good to! He good boi! He make happy. He smells like My Nick now. Magic. We lie down? I keep you warm! My Nick pillow. My Nick and My Nicks Charlie. We happy!
***
Hmmm. I dont like. She make your face look odd. Look! Theres My Nicks Charlie! He good cat boi.
Wait! Borf! MamaSarah home! Ask MamaSarah about gurl. Oh...she lost her good boi? That's sad. Poor ImmyJen. I says that right? I still prefer My Nicks Charlie. He cat but good. He good boi.
***
That ImmyJen? Yes, I'm Nellie. Hi ImmyJen.
Sorry you lost your good boi. I like ear scritches. Did your good boi like them to? I sit and looks at you. It's ok. You sad? Poor ImmyJen. Now my Nick sad. So much sad. I sits and supports you both. I good gurl. You should have My Nicks Charlie here. He makes happy. He good boi.
***
We watch big magic picture box?! I wants to see Eight Below. No? Bolt! No? Scooby Doo?
Oo! Pizza? I like pizza! Does it have anti-homophobia cheese? Can I have some? Please? I good gurl! MamaSarah looks! I tippy toes for pizza!
I like cuddles in front of big magic picture box. My Nick sometimes watches little magic picture book. I likes being with him, wherever. Sometimes he confused when on magic picture book, so I stays near him in case he needs cuddles. I love My Nick.
***
HE HURT MY NICK! My Nick! I bite bad boi Haarree. Haarree was bad to My Nicks Charlie? I bite and...No. I good gurl. I will chew his trainers when he not looking. Sneak(er) attack.
I good support. My Nick needs me. I will sits and waits. It's OK My Nick. I'm here. I'm here for you. MamaSarah, make happy. MamaSarah? *sigh* It's OK I got this. I good support now, then My Nicks Charlie make happy. He good boi. He makes happy.
My Nicks always happy with My Nicks Charlie. I think, My Nicks Charlie is My Charlie.
I love My Nick and My Charlie!
Story Time
Once upon a time, in the ancient Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd, Prince Llywelyn returned home from a fruitless winter hunt. He had had no luck on his expedition as his best and beloved hound, Gelert, was missing from the pack this day.
Llywelyn was struck by horror upon entering the room of his infant son, for the room was in disarray, the cot was overturned and Gelert, drenched in blood and gore, stood sentinel, his eyes brightening at his master's return.
Enraged by grief for his baby boy, Llywelyn drew his sword and struck Gelert down in a single stroke, only hearing the sound of his son, very much alive, begin to cry. Llywelyn pulled aside the cot and mess of blankets to find his boy, unharmed and laying next to the bloody body of a great wolf.
Upon realising his mistake, Llywelyn's heart was filled with so much sorrow and guilt that he never smiled again as the dying yelp of his brave and loyal dog haunted him. He buried Gelert in a fine cemetery in a town now called Beddgelert, in English, "Gelert's Grave" where a monument to the dog stands today.
As a Welsh man this is a story I've known from childhood, but today I learned of another brave dog of legend which is uncannily similar. In France, a Knight returned home to find his blood stained dog in his infant's nursery. The Knight struck the dog down only to discover his child lived and the body of a snake in his crib. The dog, Guinfort, became Saint Guinfort, the only dog to achieve sainthood, though not recognised by the Catholic Church.
The similarity of these two tales is unsurprising as they are both a variation of the Faithful Hound motif, that actually originated in India in the form of The Brahmin and the Mongoose. Though undoubtedly myths, there is the very true story of Jock of the Bushveld, which is both a book and a film so I won't spoil it.
Run puppies!
