Mei Yaochen – Sacrificing for my Cat

How many cats have been immortalized in poetry that we are still reading a millenium later? At least one, Mr. Five White. Here, we stand with Mei Yaochen as he gives Mr. Five White the appropriate send off after his death. 

My Translation

Offering a Sacrifice to My Cat

Since I got my cat, Mr. Five White,

Mice did not attack my books.

This morning, Mr. Five White died, 

I offered a sacrifice of fish and rice. 

I buried him in the river, 

I do it to pray for you, not to distance myself from you.

Back in the day, you nibbled on a rat,

Gnawing on it, you would meow and circle the yard. 

You wanted to frighten the other mice, 

and to clear them out of my little shithole house.  

When I was on a boat, we would stay together in a room. 

Although my rations were thin, 

at least I didn’t have to deal having mice pissing in and eating my food. 

The fact is, you worked hard, 

harder than chickens and pigs. 

Lots of folks value animals that can pull a plow or drive a cart, 

they say that cats aren’t as good as a horse or a mule. 

WTF? I don’t want to talk about this any more,  

Mr. Five White, I will cry for you.  

祭貓

自有五白貓，鼠不侵我書。

今朝五白死，祭與飯與魚。

送之於中河，呪爾非爾疎。

昔爾齧一鼠，銜鳴遶庭除。

欲使衆鼠驚，意將清我廬。

一從登舟來，舟中同屋居。

糗糧雖甚薄，免食漏竊餘。

此實爾有勤，有勤勝雞豬。

世人重驅駕，謂不如馬馿。

已矣莫復論，爲爾聊欷歔。