ORIGIN OF THE 'KILKENNY CATS."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2318, 2 January 1890, Page 2

ORIGIN OF THE 'KILKENNY CATS."

The Irish itory of the two aata of Kilkenny, who fought and fought; till there was naught left but their tails has its or gin Id fact, as told la '• Llplncott's Ma£> sctne. In 1798, daring the Irish rebellion Kilkenny wm ga-rleoaed by Heßßians. The soldlerß uttd to amuse tnemsalves by tying two oats together by thale tails and hanglag them over a clothes line, whan thoy would fight desperately till one or othei, oc both, pethapi, wete killed. When this cruelty b.o-rae known to thn offiwra thoy determined to stop It, and so lent an offioer every day to watch foi any offaaoe of this kind, »! d to punish the offender, The soldlerß would keep • man on the watch cbecneelvci, and whan the ward was given of tbe approach of an officer the o»t« vroud b9 let loose. One day. the man neglected to keep a look ouc, and the effher coming upon them BaOdeuly, one ol tie soldleis divided the oat*' tails with t.ii flword, nod the o»ts ran off " leaving their tails behind them," ilka 80-P.ep'a aheep. The offioer enquired aboit tbe ou'Luus sight of two oats' tatia hanging on the lia«, ami waa told that two cats bad fi a^ht desparMely, destroyed each ether nil bat th» tails, and the soldiers had picked np. ttese appendages and hung them on the line. To state the siory according to Irish authorities, Be wee says, " Thin Is an allegory of the municipalities of Kilkeany «od Idshtowa, who oontenied bo stoutly about boundaries and rights to the end of the aexenteenth center/ that they mutually Impoverished e*oii other —ate up eioh othar, leaving on y a"UU behind." "Da Gabeinitis" flays Oonway In his "Zoo* logical Mythology, '• "has a carious speoulatlon oeooernlrg the oeigloal of our tamiilar fable ' Ths Kilkenny Cats.' whloh he truces to tbe German suporatitiou wblch dreads the combat between eats as presaging death t j tha one who wltnetßps it.'