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Story of Tabby cat's M on forehead



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 5th 06, 08:36 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default Story of Tabby cat's M on forehead

Found these 3 different versions of why tabby cats have an M on their
forehead. Of course, the last is my favorite. :-}
lal
------------------
And so it came to pass that a husband and wife journeyed to a small town
called Bethlehem, as the king had decreed that all the people stand to
be counted in the small towns and teeming cities from whence they came.
The journey was long and hard for both, but especially for the young
wife, who was very near to bringing her firstborn son into the world.
When they at last reached the crowded and noisy town, the expectant
father searched hurriedly for a place for them to rest and where the
child could safely be born. But at every door, he was told there was no
available room. Finally, an old innkeeper, though having no space left
in his inn, took pity on them and offered them shelter in the small
stable used by his animals.It was there that the child was born,
surrounded by beasts of the field. As the night's cold grew, the baby
fretted and cried while his parents pondered how to make him
comfortable. His father tried stuffing straw into the open places in the
walls, and his mother tried warming him with her meager wrappings. But
still, the baby cried on. All the while, a tiny cat watched from the
corner. "Of course the little baby is cold," the cat thought. "It has no
fur to keep it warm! I will give it mine, and I will lullaby-purr it to
sleep." A little jump brought the cat into the manger where the baby
lay. There, he quietly gave his humble gift of warmth and love, gently
stretching out his thin, fragile little body over the baby's, careful to
cover all but the infant's face. The crying was soon replaced by soft
purrs and coos, and slowly, the infant smiled. As Mary, the new mother,
witnessed this gift to her child, she touched the little cat's forehead.
"Thank you, Little Tabby, for your gift of love and warmth. As a sign of
my grateful blessing, you and all your descendants will forevermore
carry my initial on your forehead."

And to this day, tabby cats are known by the remarkable "M" on their
foreheads, and by their extraordinary gifts of love, so gently given.
------------------
It is said that as the Prophet Mohammed was studying scripture, a kitten
crawled into the sleeve of his robe. In peace with the Prophet and the
quiet atmosphere of spiritual study, the kitty curled up and slept in
the sleeve; and Mohammed, very touched by this gesture, cut the sleeve
from the robe rather than awaken the kitten. And then, as a sign of
favor, the Prophet set his initial on the kitty's forehead for her and
her descendants to carry forever.
------------------
And it came to pass that the white cat lurked by the Flying Spaghetti
Monster and meowed most piteously.

And His Noodliness took pity on the beast, and flung a meatball at the
cat to make it shut up already.

And one strand of one of his Noodly Appendages came off too, and it
struck the cat in the forehead, leaving an orange stain on the pristine fur.

Then the cat devoured the meatball, and then leaped after the Flying
Spaghetti Monster and rolled around in the mess for a while.

And this was the Orange Tabby.
Other colors of tabby developed later, after the Flying Spaghetti
Monster tried to wash the cat...
  #2  
Old January 6th 06, 08:57 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default Story of Tabby cat's M on forehead

Assuming that Mary could read, this is what "Mary" looks like in Hebrew:
מרי. Hebrew is read from right to left, this is the Hebrew "M": מ.

Mary might have known enough Latin to get knocked up by a Roman soldier,
but she'd still probably write her own initial in her own language.

Mohammad was illiterate (ummi). If he weren't, it's unlikely that he'd
use Latin letters to write his own name, especially when Arabic script
is so much more beautiful.

The Mohammad version is also an ancient Chinese fairy tale. "Fairy" as
in "homosexual" Look up "passions of the cut sleeve".

That leaves only your favorite version as the most likely.




lal wrote:
Found these 3 different versions of why tabby cats have an M on their
forehead. Of course, the last is my favorite. :-}
lal
------------------
And so it came to pass that a husband and wife journeyed to a small town
called Bethlehem, as the king had decreed that all the people stand to
be counted in the small towns and teeming cities from whence they came.
The journey was long and hard for both, but especially for the young
wife, who was very near to bringing her firstborn son into the world.
When they at last reached the crowded and noisy town, the expectant
father searched hurriedly for a place for them to rest and where the
child could safely be born. But at every door, he was told there was no
available room. Finally, an old innkeeper, though having no space left
in his inn, took pity on them and offered them shelter in the small
stable used by his animals.It was there that the child was born,
surrounded by beasts of the field. As the night's cold grew, the baby
fretted and cried while his parents pondered how to make him
comfortable. His father tried stuffing straw into the open places in the
walls, and his mother tried warming him with her meager wrappings. But
still, the baby cried on. All the while, a tiny cat watched from the
corner. "Of course the little baby is cold," the cat thought. "It has no
fur to keep it warm! I will give it mine, and I will lullaby-purr it to
sleep." A little jump brought the cat into the manger where the baby
lay. There, he quietly gave his humble gift of warmth and love, gently
stretching out his thin, fragile little body over the baby's, careful to
cover all but the infant's face. The crying was soon replaced by soft
purrs and coos, and slowly, the infant smiled. As Mary, the new mother,
witnessed this gift to her child, she touched the little cat's forehead.
"Thank you, Little Tabby, for your gift of love and warmth. As a sign of
my grateful blessing, you and all your descendants will forevermore
carry my initial on your forehead."

And to this day, tabby cats are known by the remarkable "M" on their
foreheads, and by their extraordinary gifts of love, so gently given.
------------------
It is said that as the Prophet Mohammed was studying scripture, a kitten
crawled into the sleeve of his robe. In peace with the Prophet and the
quiet atmosphere of spiritual study, the kitty curled up and slept in
the sleeve; and Mohammed, very touched by this gesture, cut the sleeve
from the robe rather than awaken the kitten. And then, as a sign of
favor, the Prophet set his initial on the kitty's forehead for her and
her descendants to carry forever.
------------------
And it came to pass that the white cat lurked by the Flying Spaghetti
Monster and meowed most piteously.

And His Noodliness took pity on the beast, and flung a meatball at the
cat to make it shut up already.

And one strand of one of his Noodly Appendages came off too, and it
struck the cat in the forehead, leaving an orange stain on the pristine
fur.

Then the cat devoured the meatball, and then leaped after the Flying
Spaghetti Monster and rolled around in the mess for a while.

And this was the Orange Tabby.
Other colors of tabby developed later, after the Flying Spaghetti
Monster tried to wash the cat...



--
John Kimmel


I think it will be quiet around here now. So long.
  #3  
Old January 7th 06, 11:04 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Posts: n/a
Default Story of Tabby cat's M on forehead

Loved them all, I've got my Grandkids here and they looked to see
what I was giggling at when I came to the last one. I had to read it to them
Thank you Jean.P.
lal wrote in message
...
Found these 3 different versions of why tabby cats have an M on their
forehead. Of course, the last is my favorite. :-}
lal
------------------
And so it came to pass that a husband and wife journeyed to a small town
called Bethlehem, as the king had decreed that all the people stand to
be counted in the small towns and teeming cities from whence they came.
The journey was long and hard for both, but especially for the young
wife, who was very near to bringing her firstborn son into the world.
When they at last reached the crowded and noisy town, the expectant
father searched hurriedly for a place for them to rest and where the
child could safely be born. But at every door, he was told there was no
available room. Finally, an old innkeeper, though having no space left
in his inn, took pity on them and offered them shelter in the small
stable used by his animals.It was there that the child was born,
surrounded by beasts of the field. As the night's cold grew, the baby
fretted and cried while his parents pondered how to make him
comfortable. His father tried stuffing straw into the open places in the
walls, and his mother tried warming him with her meager wrappings. But
still, the baby cried on. All the while, a tiny cat watched from the
corner. "Of course the little baby is cold," the cat thought. "It has no
fur to keep it warm! I will give it mine, and I will lullaby-purr it to
sleep." A little jump brought the cat into the manger where the baby
lay. There, he quietly gave his humble gift of warmth and love, gently
stretching out his thin, fragile little body over the baby's, careful to
cover all but the infant's face. The crying was soon replaced by soft
purrs and coos, and slowly, the infant smiled. As Mary, the new mother,
witnessed this gift to her child, she touched the little cat's forehead.
"Thank you, Little Tabby, for your gift of love and warmth. As a sign of
my grateful blessing, you and all your descendants will forevermore
carry my initial on your forehead."

And to this day, tabby cats are known by the remarkable "M" on their
foreheads, and by their extraordinary gifts of love, so gently given.
------------------
It is said that as the Prophet Mohammed was studying scripture, a kitten
crawled into the sleeve of his robe. In peace with the Prophet and the
quiet atmosphere of spiritual study, the kitty curled up and slept in
the sleeve; and Mohammed, very touched by this gesture, cut the sleeve
from the robe rather than awaken the kitten. And then, as a sign of
favor, the Prophet set his initial on the kitty's forehead for her and
her descendants to carry forever.
------------------
And it came to pass that the white cat lurked by the Flying Spaghetti
Monster and meowed most piteously.

And His Noodliness took pity on the beast, and flung a meatball at the
cat to make it shut up already.

And one strand of one of his Noodly Appendages came off too, and it
struck the cat in the forehead, leaving an orange stain on the pristine

fur.

Then the cat devoured the meatball, and then leaped after the Flying
Spaghetti Monster and rolled around in the mess for a while.

And this was the Orange Tabby.
Other colors of tabby developed later, after the Flying Spaghetti
Monster tried to wash the cat...



 




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