Dear Parents,

In the 9th century, an unknown monk from Ireland was laboring in the scriptorium in his monastery. He happened to have a special friend, a cat, named Pangor Ban. Probably needing a mental break the monk would write in the manuscript he was working on a poem that would travel through the centuries as a very well loved poem:

I and Pangur Ban my cat

“Tis a like task we are at:

Hunting mice is his delight,

Hunting words I sit all night

The poem has several verses. In our studies of the Medieval period in Europe, I showed the children a movie that is based on the story of the Book of Kells : The Secret of Kells. The writers and the artists of this animated film incorporate myth and historical fact that is based around the book, including a monk that escapes the Viking raiders at Ionia and travels to Kells with a beautiful manuscript that is not quite finished. The monk has a pet cat named Pangor Ban.  The students are now designing their own manuscript letter called Illumination.

To return to the poem, the monk compares the life of his cat to his tedious work in the scriptorium. The monk loves his work but seems to be at a loss for inspiration. Probably not to get into trouble for taking a break he writes this poem in the manuscript:

‘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.

In my mind I would like to think the monk is taking a little mental vacation. Something we all need now and again. I hope you all have a wonderful break, have fun, be a little lazy and rest your minds.

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.