CHAPTER IX 



CONCERNING CATS IN POETRY 



AS far back as the ninth century, a poem on a 

 cat was written, which has come down to us 

 from the Arabic. Its author was Ibn Alalaf Alna- 

 harwany, of Bagdad, who died in 318 a.h. or a.d. 

 930. He was one of the better known poets of the 

 khalifate, and his work may still be found in the 

 original. The following verses, which were trans- 

 lated by Dr. Carlyle, are confessedly a paraphrase 

 rather than a strict translation; but, of course, the 

 sense is the same. Commentators differ on the ques- 

 tion as to whether the poet really meant anything 

 more in this poem than to sing of the death of a pet, 

 and some have tried to ascribe to it a hidden mean- 

 ing which implies beautiful slaves, lovers, and assig- 

 nations ; just as the wise Browning student discovers 

 meanings in that great poet's works of which he 

 never dreamed. Nevertheless, we who love cats 

 are fain to believe that this follower of Mahomet 

 meant only to celebrate the merits — perhaps it 

 would hardly do to call them virtues — of his be- 

 loved cat. 



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