Ubayd Zakani

Cats and Mice Ubayd Zakani

The Story About Cats and Mice - literally the title is Mouse and Cat - has been written around 1370 by the persian writer 'Obayd-e Zakani. The story highlights the moral dilemma of the 'supressed' who faces the problem of his own powerlessness. The mice who fight against the domination of the cats, don't simply fail because of their weakness, smallness or fear, they lose because of the cats' 'superiority' in brutality. For the mice no alternative exists. So a passage from the story says: ... a fellow, on his way to the warfront, was wielding his sword clamoring aloud while trembling and ducking his head simultaneously. When he was asked why he was yelling, he quickly responded I want to scare off my enemy. When questioned as to the reason behind his trembling, he said I am quite frightened myself... '