I came across this stored on my 'puter. Seems to have been cut from a
longer e- -- sorry p-mail exchange. Given that I have never been to the
Jellicle Ball I'm not sure if goes into the stories and tales told at
the Ball, or not but does seem to be in keeping of the lore told by
Master story tellers, least no cat forget why they are celebrating.

Bobcat, the Deeply Humbled

Here is the story of thuh Furst Jellicle Ball as told by Bonnie,The
Black Panther. Thuh tradishuns hav chanjed a bit since then, but it
was kwite a spektakular beginning!

"Since RPC came on line, many wonderful and special kittens and cats
have passed to the other side
of the Rainbow Bridge. But -- as we know since we are CATS -- death is
not the end to life, but
rather the beginning of a new one. It should not be seen as a period of
protracted mourning, but rather as a period of celebration -- this is
more-or-less in keeping with the poet T. S. Eliot's works about CATS:
We
gather once a year to select the cat that can come back to a new
Jellicle Life. Love is a binding force that transcends both time and
space, and we will all reunite at the Rainbow Bridge. In recognition
that there
are so many kittens and cats deserving of a new Jellicle Life this year
we pay honor to all who have gone before; to celebrate their lives in
story, song, and memories. The MC will rule over the Ball. This is a
very
HIGH HONOR. The cat selected should be our oldest inhabitant. The next
to last song will be Memories. The Host and Hostess of the Ball (Sir
Galaxy and myself, Bonnie) will have the whole floor unto
themselves for the first few measures, they will then invite all other
cats to then join them. At the end of
the song the MC will ask that those cats deserving of a New Jellicle
Life be simultaneously projected through the beam splitters to fall
upon all the huge projection screens that surround the puuurrrrimeter.
All the names which have been shown will now be shown one final time en
mass. They will reamin projected for 30 seconds before the start to
revolve around the gathered assemblage, first rather slowly, but then
faster and faster until they become one indistinct blur where upon they
will start to rise towards the curved peaks of the projection
screens....the names will meet in a final blast of light, and the
simultaneous
release of fireworks. As the fireworks fade the Band will begin to play
a medly of "The Power of Love" and
"Everybody Wants to be a Cat." The dawn should be breaking about this
time,and as the various cats leave, we can then reflect on the meaning
of the Jellicle Ball: to remember what happiness is; to love one
another, so a new day can begin. Bonnie, The Black Panther"