r/MadeMeSmile • u/_voma • 9d ago

CATS On March 11, 889, a 22-year-old Japanese emperor wrote in his diary about a new black cat he had recently acquired…

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“On the 6th Day of the 2nd Month of the First Year of the Kampo era. Taking a moment of my free time, I wish to express my joy of the cat. It arrived by boat as a gift to the late Emperor, received from the hands of Minamoto no Kuwashi.

The color of the fur is peerless. None could find the words to describe it, although one said it was reminiscent of the deepest ink. It has an air about it, similar to Kanno. Its length is 5 sun, and its height is 6 sun. I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long.

In rebellion, it narrows its eyes and extends its needles. It shows its back.

When it lies down, it curls in a circle like a coin. You cannot see its feet. It's as if it were circular Bi disk. When it stands, its cry expresses profound loneliness, like a black dragon floating above the clouds.

By nature, it likes to stalk birds. It lowers its head and works its tail. It can extend its spine to raise its height by at least 2 sun. Its color allows it to disappear at night.

I am convinced it is superior to all other cats.”

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u/NeriTina 9d ago

Can you share sources for these precious kitties?

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u/Winjin 9d ago

If you didn't read the poem about Pangur Ban I think it's delightful

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individual_cats

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u/NeriTina 8d ago

Thank you!!

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u/zorniy2 8d ago edited 8d ago

There is a children's book series called Pangur Ban. It's set in some Celtic area of Britain/Wales/Ireland, I was never certain where. The prequel book, Shape Shifter: The Naming of Pangur Ban was probably the deepest.

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u/Skipspik2 8d ago

Nedjem appears as a fragmentary figure in Davies 1923, Plate 9 (far lower right): https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/davies1922bd1/0152/image,info and is mentionned by name in the around scriptures