Wir erinnern uns an den berührenden Film „Hachiko“ mit Richard Geere oder an die früheren Lassie-Filme. Zumindest einige von uns. Und alle haben einen zentralen Charakter: Einen Hund. Und genau da fängt die Geschichte an, die mir in Edinburgh erzählt wurde (below in English).

Es war einmal … Greyfriars Bobby, der durch die  außerordentliche Treue zu seinem Herrchen bekannt wurde.

Bobby gehörte dem Polizisten John Gray und soll nach dessen Tod im Jahr 1858 den Rest seines Lebens – immerhin 14 Jahre lang – am Grab seines Herrchens auf dem Kirchhof der Greyfriars Kirk in der Edinburgher Altstadt verbracht haben. Angeblich verließ er den Friedhof nur zu den Mahlzeiten im nahe gelegenen Coffee House. Es gibt zeitgenössische Berichte, nach denen sich zur Mittagszeit Schaulustige vor dem Friedhof einfanden, um den Hund bei seinem Gang zum Café zu beobachten, zu dem er sich jeden Tag nach Abfeuerung der Ein-Uhr-Kanone aufmachte. Bobby starb im Alter von 16 Jahren am 14. Januar 1872 und wurde heimlich, da eine Beerdigung von Tieren dort nicht gestattet ist, auf dem Greyfriars Kirkyard beerdigt.

Mehrere Bücher und Filme handeln von Greyfriars Bobby, darunter ein Roman von Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson (1912) und der darauf basierende Walt-Disney-Spielfilm „Greyfriars Bobby – Die wahre Geschichte eines Hundes“ („Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog“, 1961). Auch der Lassie-Film „Lassie in Not“ lehnt sich an die rührende Geschichte an.

Schon kurz nach dessen Tod schuf der Bildhauer William Brodie eine lebensgroße Statue von Greyfriars Bobby, die vor dem Pub vor dem Friedhof dem treuen Hund ein Denkmal setzte. Wie alle schönen Geschichten kann es sich dabei auch um ein Märchen handeln!

Over 150 years ago, a wee Skye Terrier was about to become the most famous dog in Scotland’s history. Greyfriars Bobby is a remarkable story, and a heart warming tale.

On February 15, 1858, in the city of Edinburgh, a man named John Gray died of tuberculosis. Gray was better known as Auld Jock, and on his death he was buried in old Greyfriars Churchyard.

Bobby, a wee Skye Terrier, belonged to John, who worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a night watchman, and the two were virtually inseparable for approximately two years. Bobby led his master’s funeral procession to the grave at Greyfriars Cemetery, and later, when he tried to stay at the graveside, he was sent away by the caretaker.

But the little dog returned and refused to leave, whatever the weather conditions. Despite the efforts of the keeper of the kirkyard, John’s family and the local people, Bobby refused to be enticed away from the grave for any length of time, and he touched the hearts of the local residents.

Although dogs were not allowed in the graveyard, the people rallied round and built a shelter for Bobby and there he stayed, guarding Auld Jock. For 14 years Bobby lay on the grave, leaving only for food.

When the firing of the one o’clock gun sounded from Edinburgh Castle each day, Bobby would leave his post, and run to the eating house which he had frequented with Auld Jock, and return to Jock’s grave. News of Bobby’s loyalty soon spread, and people would travel far and wide just to see him. Crowds would gather for the firing of the gun, to see Bobby run for his midday meal.

In 1867, Lord Provost presented Bobby with a new collar, which is now on display, with a brass plate inscribed with the words:

„Greyfriars Bobby – from the Lord Provost, 1867, licensed“

Bobby was well cared for by the people of Edinburgh, but he still remained loyal to his master, and he continued to stay faithfully guarding Auld Jock’s grave for all those years, until he died on January 14, 1872, aged 16.

Bobby’s grave is also in Greyfriars Kirkyard, just 75 yards from his masters grave. He has a red granite headstone, which was unveiled by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester CCVO, in 1981. The inscription reads :

„Greyfriars Bobby – died January 14, 1872 – aged 16 years. Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all.“

Over the years films and videos have been made about this remarkable story, including a Disney movie, and an Edinburgh toy company came up with the popular Greyfriars Bobby toy.