Greyfriars Bobby - Three True Tales

3: The Local Legend

In Victorian Edinburgh, Greyfriars Bobby was a small Skye terrier with a habit of sleeping on what was said to be his old master's grave. Some people said his owner was John Gray the farmer, others that it was John Gray the police constable, and some unimaginative (and rather miserable souls) even thought he was just a regular stray dog. Long after he died, there were rumours that two dogs had visited the grave over the years, not one, for he was thought by some to have enjoyed a suspiciously long life for a terrier.

During his lifetime his story was told to local children, well-to-do residents, and visiting tourists, so by the time the dog died in 1872, and was buried in historic Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, his fame was already widespread. Since then, his story has spread even further.

In the year after Bobby's death, the noted philanthropist Baroness Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, President of the Ladies Committee of the RSPCA, gained permission to build a sculpture in his honour. The sculpture - of a small Skye terrier sculpted from Greyfriars Bobby's own appearance just before the dog died - was placed on a simple granite column housing water fountains, one for dogs and one for humans. It was erected in 1873 honour of Bobby and his 'affectionate fidelity'.

Bobby had few possessions from his time in Edinburgh - a feeding bowl and a special inscribed collar being the main items - so they were taken into care of the city. Eventually, these things were put on display in the Museum of Edinburgh, along with photographs and stories about the people who fed Bobby and knew him.

Bobby's fame grew further when the author Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson turned her pen to his story, and published her novel 'Greyfriars Bobby'. It was a highly romanticised but endearing tale of the faithful dog, and quickly made even more people fall in love with his story.

In 1949 MGM Studios adapted the book for the silver screen, and cast the famous collie dog Lassie in the title role, instead of the diminutive terrier, and a dramatic court case helping to determine the dog's fate. In 1961 Walt Disney Productions made their own charming version of the Greyfriars Bobby book, this time with a wee Skye terrier in the lead.

Bobby's story was told on screen one more time, in 2006, in the film The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby. Instead of casting a Skye terrier in the lead, a little West Highland White Terrier was used, apparently because its hair wouldn't get in the way of its eyes during filming.

As well as the statue, people often visit the nearby gravestone for Bobby in Greyfriars Kirkyard itself, which was erected in 1981 on the site of the dog's grave and has become a shrine to him. On the grave, groups of visiting children have taken to leaving sticks for Greyfriars Bobby to fetch, balls to chase, and even letters telling him how much they love him.

During a trip to the city in 2009, a group of tourists visiting Edinburgh were encouraged by a tour guide to rub the statue of Greyfriars Bobby for luck, which the guide pretended was an old tradition in the city. The group filmed themselves rubbing his nose, and in so doing started a new tradition among tourists. Although seemingly sweet, unfortunately this new tourist tradition has led to the statue being damaged and his nose wearing away, causing defacement that has to be repaired by the city. The local council have even pleaded with tourists to stop it, or to rub gently, but it hasn't deterred people, and now the little dark bronze sculpture has a shiny golden nose.

Whatever the truth of his origins, the long lasting importance of Greyfriars Bobby to the people and visitors to Edinburgh couldn't be clearer. His loyalty, his determination, and his devotion are things to be admired, and the fact that such a small dog could instil joy in people over 140 years after his death is testament to his significance. The story of Greyfriars Bobby is one of the most beloved tales in Scotland, even the UK - and he was a very good wee dog.

What's your favourite story about Greyfriars Bobby - and what do you think about rubbing his nose or leaving him a stick to chase?