the dawn of an older age

our molly girl sleeps like this. it's pretty funny but also not a rarity for welsh corgis...most of them sleep like this.
and like most living things that sleep on their back, she snores too.

here's the legend of the corgi and how they came to be.

queen mab clapped her hands, "I am bored" she cried. "Let us take our steeds and go for a ride."

Instantly before the fairy queen, appeared a small red and white dog wearing a gold collar and bell. on his back was a tiny saddle made of the finest leather and chased in silver. similar dogs appeared to the other members of the fairy court. they each mounted their enchanted dogs, and led by queen mab, they rode out of the hollow hills. by the light of the moon, they flew through the forests of wales.

suddenly, one of the fairies gave a cry. his steed had brushed against a trap that was set by poachers. made of iron, its touch was deadly to fairy folk, and the little dog and his courtier were laid low by its power. "what shall we do?" said queen mab.

a small voice broke the silence and a human boy peered from behind a tree. "if you please your majesty, i can move the trap away so that it won't be touching them anymore and my sister knows herbs. she may be able to ease their pain."

"what are you doing out at this time of night, boy?" the queen demanded. "do you not know that the night holds many dangers for mortals?"

"my father is a shepherd and our best ewe is lost and without her we will surely starve."

"heal my friends and i shall repay you many times over." queen mab replied.

the boy tugged at the heavy trap and his sister made a soothing compress of blackberry leaves. with their rapid healing powers, the fairy and his dog were soon well again.

"i promised you a reward, boy" queen mab said. twice she rang the golden bell that hung around her dog's neck. two red and white puppies appeared. "these are fairy dogs" queen mab said. they are swift and clever and true, and they can herd cattle as well as sheep. treat them well, and you shall never lose your livestock again."

the shepherd's family prospered and the fairy dogs gave birth to puppies. the corgis as they became known-from the welsh words cor meaning "dwarf" and gi meaning "dog" were highly prized for their herding ability.

as a mark of their fairy steed origin, they all bore saddle or harness marks behind their shoulders. and on midsummer's day if the dogs were a little tired for once- the shepherds simply nodded their heads wisely. they knew that every midsummer's eve the fairies returned to ride the corgis so they would never forget their heritage.