Covered in snow and shivering Dr. Wetbrain stormed into his cabin.
“Quick get in and shut the door!” Harold yelled. “It’s freezing out there.”
“I know, I just walked home from the bar.” The doctor replied.
Wetbrain took off his winter gear and quickly sat down beside Harold and the hot crackling fireplace.
On the frightful freezing walk home from the bar the doctor was thinking about the story of Saint Bernard rescue dogs and the brandy barrels around their necks. Dr. Wetbrain decided that he should relay this myth to Harold.
Halfway on the walk home a St. Bernard with a keg of brandy sure would have hit the spot, the doctor blurted. But the story of the Saint Bernard dog is very interesting.
On the boarder between Switzerland and Italy in the Pennine Alps there is a treacherous route through the snowy mountain peaks called “Great Saint Bernard Pass”. This pass still stands after over a thousand years and is still used today.
In the middle of this St. Bernard Pass the Romans in 1049 built a temple called ‘Bernard of Menthon’ after Saint Bernard (clergy with the Catholic church). This temple became a hospice for weary travelers and was run by a group of Monks who took care of the passing guests, benefited them as mountain guides and took the task of rescuing frozen travelers.
The Monks needed rescuing help, so they decided to descend to some of the low-lying villages to find dogs. The dogs found were trained for rescue purposes, they were strong, adaptable to any harsh weather condition and had a great sense of smell. They also were able to detect avalanches in advance. The Saint Bernard breed was born.
Unfortunately, archives referring to these dogs were lost due to a large fire in the temple in the late 16th century. Historians believe that the St. Bernard dogs arrived at the temple between 1550 and 1660.
Now the story of the barrel with brandy around the dog’s neck. For rescue purpose only. What a great idea! Where’s my Toy Poodle?
According to the temple’s archives, it was the august brother (Monk) that carried the small barrel of brandy like a satchel on rescue missions to warm the cockles of the found travelers in despair. Consensus says that NO brandy was toted by these faithful dogs.
The rumor of the St. Bernard and brandy barrel could have been brought on by a seventeen-year-old painter from England, Sir Edwin Henry Landseer. His art project is titled “Alpine Mastiffs Reanimating a Distressed Traveler”. The painting showed a Saint Bernard with a barrel around its neck.
This is the story of the great St. Bernard with a barrel of brandy around his neck. An added note about these strong, slobbering dogs is that between 1816 and 1818 the weather was so severe through the pass that most St. Bernards perished and came close to extinction. Thriving now.
“Wow, who knew!” Harold exclaimed while heating up a pot of cheap red wine. “Drink like tea and this will warm up your cockles. Grandma’s cold remedy, tastes good and it works.”
