Nine Lives: The Folklore of Cats

Nine Lives: The Folklore of Cats examines feline mythology and legends across different cultures and time periods. This scholarly work by folklorist Katherine M. Briggs covers both the supernatural and mundane aspects of cats in global folklore traditions. The book includes traditional tales, superstitions, and cultural beliefs about cats from the British Isles, continental Europe, Asia, and beyond. Briggs presents historical records, oral histories, and literary sources to document how cats have been perceived throughout human civilization. The collection features stories of magical cats, witch's familiars, shape-shifters, and household pets, along with related folk customs and beliefs about feline behavior. Each chapter focuses on specific types of cat lore, from ancient Egyptian cat worship to medieval European witch trials. Through these collected stories and beliefs, the book reveals how cats have maintained their air of mystery while living alongside humans for millennia. The work stands as a key reference text for understanding the cultural significance of cats in folklore studies.

This appears to be an obscure book with very limited reader reviews available online. The few reviews found show: What readers liked: - The historical research into cat-related folklore across different cultures - Inclusion of traditional stories and legends - Black and white illustrations What readers disliked: - Writing style described as "dry" and "academic" - Limited availability of the book - Brief length (only 128 pages) Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (based on only 15 ratings) No ratings found on Amazon or other major book review sites Reader comments are too sparse to provide meaningful consensus or representative quotes. The book appears to be out of print with minimal online discussion or reviews from verified readers. Most existing reviews are from folklore enthusiasts rather than general readers.

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🐱 Katherine M. Briggs was a leading British folklorist who served as president of the Folklore Society from 1967-1969, making her uniquely qualified to write about cat folklore. 🔮 The book explores how cats were once believed to be witches' familiars across Europe, with black cats particularly associated with magical practices and divination. 📚 Published in 1980, this was one of Briggs' final works before her death in 1980, capping off a career spanning over 40 years of folklore research and writing. 🌍 The book examines cat-related folklore from multiple cultures, including the ancient Egyptian worship of cats through the goddess Bastet and Japanese beliefs about the maneki-neko (beckoning cat). 🏰 Briggs collected many of the folk tales and superstitions in the book during her extensive fieldwork throughout the British countryside, preserving rural traditions that might otherwise have been lost.