irelandseyeonmythology:If you’ve seen the film “The Secret of Kells” you’ll

irelandseyeonmythology:

If you’ve seen the film “The Secret of Kells” you’ll have heard of Pangur Bán.

The magic white cat was based on a real pet cat in Medieval Ireland. Pangur Bán belonged to a 9th century Irish Monk who wrote a famous poem about him while working in an Irish Scriptorum in Austria.

The poem was translated by Robin Flower (Bláthín to the Blasket Islanders) who was the Deputy Keeper of Manuscripts in the British Museum.

“I and Pangur Ban my cat,
‘Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.

Better far than praise of men
‘Tis to sit with book and pen;
Pangur bears me no ill-will,
He too plies his simple skill.

‘Tis a merry task to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind.

Oftentimes a mouse will stray
In the hero Pangur’s way;
Oftentimes my keen thought set
Takes a meaning in its net.

‘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.

When a mouse darts from its den,
O how glad is Pangur then!
O what gladness do I prove
When I solve the doubts I love!

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.

Practice every day has made
Pangur perfect in his trade;
I get wisdom day and night
Turning darkness into light.”