Madre Farbot
12-16-2003, 08:55 AM
I came across this quite a number of years ago in a book entitled ‘Songs of Wandering Scholars’, by Helen Waddell, and thought that I might share one of my first lyrical gems.
It turns out that this piece was probably written by some Irish scholar dude from Reichenau, but we don’t know who actually wrote it.
It further turns out that there is another version to this one. But here’s my all-time first favorite poem first:
I and Pangur Ban my cat,
‘Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.
‘Tis a merry thing to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind.
‘Gainst the wall he sets his eye,
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
‘Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.
So in peace our task we ply,
Pangur Ban, my cat and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his.
-----------------------------
This version was, I think, translated from a manuscript found in Austria from about the Middle-Ages:
The Scholar and the Cat
Each of us pursues his trade,
I and Pangur my comrade,
His whole fancy on the hunt,
And mine for learning ardent.
More than fame I love to be
Among my books and study,
Pangur does not grudge me it,
Content with his own merit.
When-a heavenly time! -we are
In our small room together
Each of us has his own sport
And asks no greater comfort.
While he sets his round sharp eye
On the wall of my study
I turn mine, though lost its edge,
On the great wall of knowledge.
Now a mouse drops in his net
After some mighty onset
While into my bag I cram
Some difficult darksome problem.
When a mouse comes to a kill
Pangur exults, a marvel!
I have when some secret’s won
My hour of exultation.
Though we work for days and years
Neither the other hinders;
Each is competent and hence
Enjoys his skill in silence.
Master of the death of mice,
He keeps in daily practice,
I too, making dark things clear,
Am of my trade a master.
-----------------------------
This has never been one of my favorites, but I thought it would be neat to have the both of them displayed together.
P.S. Just in case you can't get enough of this stuff, here are some interesting cat links:
http://www.cindydrew.com/cats/index.shtml
http://www.flippyscatpage.com/
It turns out that this piece was probably written by some Irish scholar dude from Reichenau, but we don’t know who actually wrote it.
It further turns out that there is another version to this one. But here’s my all-time first favorite poem first:
I and Pangur Ban my cat,
‘Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.
‘Tis a merry thing to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind.
‘Gainst the wall he sets his eye,
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
‘Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.
So in peace our task we ply,
Pangur Ban, my cat and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his.
-----------------------------
This version was, I think, translated from a manuscript found in Austria from about the Middle-Ages:
The Scholar and the Cat
Each of us pursues his trade,
I and Pangur my comrade,
His whole fancy on the hunt,
And mine for learning ardent.
More than fame I love to be
Among my books and study,
Pangur does not grudge me it,
Content with his own merit.
When-a heavenly time! -we are
In our small room together
Each of us has his own sport
And asks no greater comfort.
While he sets his round sharp eye
On the wall of my study
I turn mine, though lost its edge,
On the great wall of knowledge.
Now a mouse drops in his net
After some mighty onset
While into my bag I cram
Some difficult darksome problem.
When a mouse comes to a kill
Pangur exults, a marvel!
I have when some secret’s won
My hour of exultation.
Though we work for days and years
Neither the other hinders;
Each is competent and hence
Enjoys his skill in silence.
Master of the death of mice,
He keeps in daily practice,
I too, making dark things clear,
Am of my trade a master.
-----------------------------
This has never been one of my favorites, but I thought it would be neat to have the both of them displayed together.
P.S. Just in case you can't get enough of this stuff, here are some interesting cat links:
http://www.cindydrew.com/cats/index.shtml
http://www.flippyscatpage.com/