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Reading Notes: Jewish Fairy Tales, Part A

The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog

Having seen many "quarrels" between cats and dogs, this story intrigued me. In my experiences, dogs have always been interested in cats and have tried to be friendly, while cats are the ones that swat and hiss the dogs away. Before reading this story, I predicted that the cat would be the villain and the dog would be the good character. I was surprised when the story began as the cats and dogs originating as friends, having an inseperable bond. However, when winter came and food was scarce, it was the cat that decided the two should part ways. The dog tried to resist the separation, however the cat was not going to change her opinion. On top of splitting ways, the cat insisted that they never cross paths again- as it was 'bad business'. Reluctantly, the dog agreed and went on his way into the cold wild. The cat found her way straight to Adam's house where she caught mice for him and ended up getting fat. The dog was not so lucky. He struggled in the wilderness, constantly getting turned down from other animals and put in danger's path. Over time he became skinny and weak- nearing death several times. Eventually, he came upon a house and fell asleep there for the night. He was woken up to the sound of animals nearing for an attack, and barked to alert the house owner. To his surprise, it was Adam that came out and scared away all the wild animals. Adam invited him into his home, but the dog knew the cat would be there and insisted he must leave. The cat saw the dog and became angry that the dog had broken their contract deal. Although the dog wanted to stay, he knew him and the cat would never be able to get along. So, he decided to go to Seth's home where he was wanted. In the end, the cat and the dog were never able to get along- creating an everlasting quarrel between the cat and dog.

I really enjoyed reading this story, and I think there are many ways in which I could recreate it. Whether it's keeping the cat and dog characters and updating it's setting, or changing the animals altogether- this is a story that can be retold in many different ways. 

[Cat and Dog Fighting. Image Information]


Bibliography

Landa, Gertrude. The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog. Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends. Link
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