Before you read my review of this wonderful story hear are a few words from it's author.
Famous Cats of History & Folklore
Lili Hayward.
All over the world, cats are associated with myths, legends, folktales, historical figures, even gods! Here are just a few of them.
Cat Sìth, Grimalkin, King of the Cats
The Cat Sìth (no, nothing to do with the dark side, it’s pronounced “shee” ) is a Celtic mythological creature; a fairy beast said to hunt the Scottish Highlands. The Cat Sìth is an enormous black cat, with a white marking like a star on its chest. According to legend, the Cat Sìth sometimes tries to steal the soul of a dead person before they are buried. People once held wakes, played music and told riddles to distract the cat and keep it away. And woe betide anyone who didn’t leave a saucer of cream on their doorstep for the Cat Sìth at Samhain…
The Cat Sìth is associated with Grimalkin, a witch’s familiar, of Macbeth fame: “I come, greymalkin!” and also the King of the Cats himself. Grey Malkin or the Cat Sìth also stars of the first
ever horror novel written in English, William Baldwin’s Beware the Cat. (1553).
Muezza (or Muʿizza) (Arabic: معزة)
It’s said that the Islamic Prophet Muhammad had a favourite cat called Muezza. One story tells of how, when woken by the daily call to prayer, Muhammad found Muezza sleeping on the arm of his robe. Rather than wake her, he cut off the sleeve, so that she wouldn’t be disturbed.
Although in the past cats were often employed to keep grain stores free from rodents, in paper-based Arab-Islamic cultures they were also the scholar and librarian’s best friend, since they prevented mice from chewing on manuscripts, papers and libraries full of precious books.
Maneki-neko (Japanese: 招き猫?)
Literally meaning “beckoning cat” the Japanese maneki-neko is the popular waving cat figurine often
seen in shops, businesses and homes. Its raised paw is thought to call good luck, wealth and
prosperity. Apparently originating during the Edo period, there are many stories about how the maneki-neko first appeared. One tells of a nobleman who takes shelter under a tree near a temple, during a thunderstorm. He looks over and sees the temple priest’s cat beckoning to him. Intrigued, he leaves the tree and goes to it. A moment later, the tree is struck by lightning. The grateful nobleman then befriends with the poor priest and the temple becomes prosperous. When the cat eventually died, the first maneki-neko was made in its honour.
Jólakötturinn or Jólaköttur: The Yule Cat
A figure of Icelandic folklore, the Yule Cat stalks the dark, snowy nights of the Yuletide, hunting unfortunate individuals who have not received anything new to wear on Yule Eve. If you have a new item of clothing, you’re safe. If not, then the monstrous cat will yowl outside your house, break in
and eat your festive dinner, perhaps even followed by you...
Apparently, the origin of the Yule Cat can be found in wool-making, as an incentive to agricultural workers to get the autumn wool spun before midwinter. If they did, they received a reward: in the form of a new piece of clothing. If they didn’t work hard, they might become supper for the Yule Cat. Better not sneer at those Christmas socks!
If you speak Icelandic, you can read Jóhannes úr Kötlum’s poem Jólakötturinn, which in turn inspired a song, by Bjork. The poem concludes:
“Now you might be thinking of helping
Where help is needed most.
Perhaps you'll find some children
That have nothing at all.
Perhaps searching for those
That live in a lightless world
Will give you a happy day
And a Merry, Merry Yule. “ (Translation by Vignir Jónsson)
Please consider making a donation to an animal rescue charity like Cats Protection this Christmas.
This is my first Christmas read of the season and what a fabulous story to start with. The book may be 197 pages , but every page is jammed packed with a detailed story and the magic of Yule.
If you believe in fate and the magic of Christmas , them this book is for you. We meet Jess ha she just finished writing her first book, but the man she thought she loved sold the book as his own work.
Heart broken she feels the need for escape of the high buildings and the hustle and bustle of London. That same day she sees an advert in the paper to rent a cottage down in Cornwall, she gets straight in a train down there to the letting agent in Enysyule. On arrival,she is meet by a grumpy old man that told her that she won't last a night at the old cottage before even looking at the property she takes it. To prove a point to the old man. There was only one condition on the lease that she must take care of the old cat Perrin who comes with the cottage, as old as he stays alive then she can lease the cottage.
When she sees cottage for the first time , she wonders what she has let her self in for !!!!
Dust everywhere and no phone reception she has her work cut for her so sink or swim time for Jess. From the moment she stepped into the the cottage they seemed to be a hold on her from wired noises on the first night to meeting Perrin for the first time. She has the need to find out all the secrets that the cottage has hidden deep in its walls, so when she comes across the pass owners sketch pad that s when the magic begins from a little song that plays over and over in her head but she has never heard the song before to very deep dreams of information that she knows but cannot explain how's she knows it.
On her second day Jess decides to meet the locals in the village pub she follows the map of the land that is attached to the cottage and a path that has been there for many generations , she finds herself in a holly clearing where a perranstone that is dead centre of the clearing , she feels such a pull towards the stone that can not be ignored and feels the full magic of the stone and meets the dashing Ale shows her the way to the pub and takes a shining to Jess straight away?
While in the pub she comes across some information that the son of the grumpy in man is on the hear by table so Jess takes it up to give Jack Roscarrow and piece of her mind and to pass it on to his father.
We follow the story as Jess gets more and more pulled into the cottage and all its sercert site it has to tell, she gets involved with Alex which proves to be a big mistake as ships father wants the land for self to develop but can the betrayal be forgiven for them to be together or is the pull towards Jack Roscarrow to hard to resists.
The run up to Christmas is not a easy one for Jess but you will have to go and buy a copy to find out , you won't be disappointed with this delightful read and I looking forward to reading more from this wonderful writer that has capture the folk law.
