Pride	Mystery	Y Ddraig Goch
Across the land the English be So proud to have so much to see We'll show you all our history, too For England is the place for you!	My size and shape a secret so old Generations of tales greatly told Any ripples or shadows you see Just think aloud that it could be me!	With sheep on the hills, a beautiful view Tales of red dragons, mythical or true Sounds of the choir carry far and wide I'd love to share it with you by my side!
England	Scotland	Wales

This set comprises animals that are associated by myth or legend
with each of the three countries that make up Great Britain

There are beautiful touches to the animals,
such as the gold threads in Pride's mane and
gold stitching in his paws and whiskers,
gold sparkles in Y Ddraig Goch's fur
and the lovely aqua blue colour of Mystery

The use of the lion as a symbol of England probably dates back to the reign of King Richard 1
('Richard the Lion-Heart')


The lion was used in heraldry following the Crusades.
The use of heraldic lions in countries far from the natural range of these beasts
is almost certainly a product of personal experience (or at least the telling of tales about) real lions,
which were still to be found in certain parts of the Middle East.
The name 'Pride' is a clever play on the name for a group of lions
and the adjective to describe an Englishman's feelings for his country.

The most publicised and well known of the lake monsters,
Nessie has captured the popular imagination.
There are hundreds of sightings on record, which describe a similar creature
in and out of the water over a period of 200 years.



Opinions vary as to whether this creature actually exists -
some photographs has been proven as fakes.
However, the reports of sightings continue
and the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster remains unsolved!

The red Welsh dragon "Y Ddraig Goch" owes its origins to folklore and Arthurian legend.
Originating from a serpent representing the Welsh God Dewi,
Celtic King Arthur was said to have had a dream about a red dragon (symbolically representing Wales)
which slayed a white dragon (which represented the Saxon invaders).

In later history, at the Battle of Bosworth, Welsh-born King Henry VII (Henry Tudor)
unfurled a flag with a red dragon, which he had adopted as his own emblem.

This set would make a perfect gift and a card can be included to the lucky recipient
as well as the CHERISH collect for life 2005 tags & a special commemorative card
produced for this auction

stating that the item was purchased in aid of Cancer Research UK