Prince Bladud, son of a king, contracted the dread disease of leprosy, over 800 years before the birth of Christ. Unable to remain in human company, he turned to tending swine, but they, too, caught the disease. One day the swine ran wild and plunged into the dark, foul smelling water's of a bog. When Bladud pulled them out, he discovered that the waters had healed both the animals and himself. The healing waters of Bath became famous to this day.