For the Love of a Cat
by Rosalind Wilson and illustrated by Wen Hsu
“For the love of a cat” by Rosalind Wilson and illustrated by Wen Hsu. Published by Katha. A story of a painter who finds himself in a dilemma when he has to choose between his work and his pet cat that he loves as much as his art.
There lived a young artist in India long ago who loved painting. His sole friend was Tara, his little pet cat. She shared his home and food. He was poor and it wasn’t easy for him to make a living. There came a time when he was just not finding any work. He ran out of paper and paints. The money that he was left with was sufficient for buying just a small fish. He bought it and cooked what he thought would be the last meal of his life. He ended up giving the fish to Tara.
An unexpected thing happened as he lay down waiting for death. There was a knock at the door of his hut. He opened the door to find a group of priests who had come from the temple of Buddha. They wanted to get a painting done of the Holy One surrounded by all the creatures. However there was one condition. They asked him not to include even a single cat in the painting as they had heard that the Buddha did not like cats.
The painter accepted the commission and started painting. All the while, Tara was watching him make all the animals and birds around the Buddha. What happened next? Was Tara feeling sad that a cat like her wouldn’t be part of the painting? Did the artist choose his cat over his work? What happened to the painting finally? Was the condition of the priests a just one? Aren’t all creatures equal in the eyes of the creator? Read the book to find out.
I enjoyed reading this book with my seven year old recently. He appreciated the story and understood the nuances well. Thank you for recommending this gem of a book Vidya! This is one of those rare books with such a deep meaning. Apt for children aged 6/7+.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Katha here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.