I'm working on an enormous AN question about god and Tolkien right now, but it won't be ready until tomorrow. Meanwhile, as I've been thinking about both cats (our cat is ill) and medieval stuff, I thought I'd give you a 9th C. poem about a cat written by an Irish monk. The translation is by Eavan Boland.
- Pangur bán
- Messe [ocus] Pangur bán,
- cechtar nathar fria saindán;
- bíth a menma-sam fri seilgg,
- mu menma céin im saincheirdd
- Caraim-se fós, ferr cach clú,
- oc mu lebrán léir ingnu;
- ní foirmtech frimm Pangur bán,
- caraid cesin a maccdán.
- Ó ru-biam scél cén scis
- innar tegdias ar n-oéndis,
- táithiunn dichríchide clius
- ní fris 'tarddam ar n-áthius.
- Gnáth-huaraib ar greassaib gal
- glenaid luch ina lín-sam;
- os me, du-fuit im lín chéin
- dliged ndoraid cu n-dronchéill.
- Fúachaid-sem fri freaga fál
- a rosc a nglése comlán;
- fúachimm chéin fri fégi fis
- mu rosc réil, cesu imdis.
- Fáelid-sem cu n-déne dul,
- hi nglen luch ina gérchrub;
- hi-tucu cheist n-doraid n-dil,
- os mé chene am fáelid.
- Cia beimini amin nach ré
- ní derban cách a chéle;
- mait le cechtar nár a dán
- subaigthiud a óenurán.
- Hé fesin as choimsid dáu
- in muid du-n-gní cach óenláu;
- do thabairt doraid du glé
- for mumud céin am messe.
Myself and Pangur, cat and sage
Go each about our business;
I harass my beloved page,
He his mouse.
Fame comes second to the peace
Of study, a still day
Unenvying, Pangur's choice
Is child's play.
Neither bored, both hone
At home a separate skill
Moving after hours alone
To the kill
When at last his net wraps
After a sly fight
Around a mouse; mine traps
Sudden insight.
On my cell wall here,
His sight fixes, burning,
Searching; my old eyes peer
At new learning,
And his delight when his claws
Close on his prey
Equals mine when sudden clues
Light my way.
So we find by degrees
Peace in solitude,
Both of us, solitaries,
Have each the trade
He loves: Pangur, never idle
Day or night
Hunts mice; I hunt each riddle
From dark to light.
I found this via Per Omnia Saecula, run by Jennifer Lynn Jordan, who, among other things, every week does a feature on medieval animals.
