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December 9, 1916

 

Natsume Soseki was a Japanese writer; he died on December 9, 1916. The quality of his novels lead to him being ranked among the greatest writers. His face was on a yen note until 2004. This regard is earned and he should have a larger English audience. Even through a translation, the imaginative effort to understand what the world looks like from a foreign viewpoint is apparent in his 1905 story, "I Am A Cat." This eponymous feline is dissuaded from clawing books and so has...a "new sport" which is to:

"hunt praying mantises. Mantis hunting is not as strenuous as rat hunting, but neither does it involve so many hazards...After seeing one, I rush it as fast as the wind. The mantis, sensing danger, will raise its head...Mantises are rather bold...[Their] wings are only there for ornamental purposes...like the study of French and German for humans...Having wings sounds wonderful but actually those of the mantis only drag the owner along the ground as it walks. I often feel sorry for my prey but as it is essential for my exercise, I simply beg its pardon and run after it all the more."

Maybe you need a longer excerpt, but I recommend finding the book.

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