Pangur Ban, a doodle in the margin

Pangur Ban

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 thing 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 tasks 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.


I came across this fun poem in the third book of Nancy Farmer's trilogy, The Sea of Trolls. Her footnote reads: "Written by an unknown eighth-century Irish monk in the margins of a manuscript, when he was supposed to be copying the Bible. Translated by Robin Flower in the Irish Tradition, Oxford University Press, London, 1947." I had to laugh at that. How human nature really has not changed much over the centuries. How many times have you been carried away on a whimsy of creation when you should have Been Working!! And, how many times has this whimsy led to some fun creative writing, a new concept discovered, a problem solved? Even Thomas Edison used naps for his problem solving! Hmmm, is there such a thing as creative avoidance...such as writing this post instead of starting my college paper?! Is it time for a nap??!! :D

What is your latest, creative, doodle in the margin? Will I catch you snoozing?

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