Why Is the Pallas's Cat Angry?
I don’t know whether this book has been posted here. It’s called “Why Is the Pallas's Cat Angry?” (if that translates awkwardly, I’ll rephrase it as: “Why Is the Pallas's Cat So Angry?”)
It’s a children’s poem, written by Elena Feldman, illustrated by Anna Kovalkina. The illustrations are absolutely stunning and vivid, and the text is funny. It’s very easy to buy, at least in Russia, on any marketplace.
The main character — a little boy named Petya — wonders before bed why the Pallas's cat is always so angry. Since these are poems, I also don’t know how they’ll translate into other languages, but I’ll reproduce the text from the book as captions.
“I barely fell asleep yesterday, searching for the answer. Why is the Pallas's cat angry, in winter or in summer? Day and night it sits in its little house, gloomy, and looks on with resentment... Now you think about it!”
“Maybe it’s cold for it? Maybe its little paws are freezing? I wonder why they don’t sew them slippers? They’d dress the cat in red boots — what a sight that would be, and its feet wouldn’t be cold!”
“Or is it the other way around — too hot in its fur coat? That’s why our cat suffers in the zoo enclosure. Put some ice in the round water bowl, perhaps. Or better yet, a freezer right here!”
“No, probably it’s because our cloud-dark cat is gloomier than a storm cloud that the keepers don’t pick it up. Don’t kiss its nose tenderly, don’t fluff up its belly... A platypus would wither here, let alone a kitty!”
“Or is it the other way around: fans torment it and shove cameras almost into its mouth. — Oh, what a serious look! What an expression!... They chatter affectionately, but without respect.”
“No, probably the trouble is that a nasty magpie keeps it from sleeping under the bush. You can’t reach it, and that’s a pity! If this were not a park but a forest, our Pallas's cat would have long since nimbly climbed a fir tree to bop the chatterbox.”
“I’m already tired of guessing: do they wake it at dawn? Force it to finish the disgusting oatmeal? Forbid it to jump on the bed all day long and kick its leg in delight on the bus?”
“You and I should be friends and stay close by. Come live with me in a house with a little front garden! We’ll fit just fine on one sofa. You’ll purr to me and growl — in front of Mama...”
“At that point the Pallas's cat couldn’t stand it and said to me: — Petya! If only you’d already fallen asleep, like other children!”
“The Pallas's cat sleeps with a smile. The riddle is solved. And I’ve already fallen asleep too — sweetly, sweetly, sweetly...”
I won’t reproduce all the pictures and text, in case that would violate copyright? I’ve only shared some of it for reference. But the best part is the dedication on the last page:
“To Nina Krivtsova, a kind friend of the Novosibirsk Pallas's cats, as well as to Roman Paulov and Viktoria Malyshko, thanks to whom the whole world learned about Pallas's cats.”
That’s the kind of book it is. I also wanted the whole world to learn about the book. I actually bought it for my nephew, but now I hate to give it away — I want to keep it for myself)))
Comments 24
Thank you !!!
Aaa, we have that book too! It really is so great! I love the illustrations in it, the manul is drawn so funny 😻
Helga, thank you so much for showing this book here – I’m sure it will appeal not only to little manulovers, but adults will also enjoy flipping through it 🥰
Vika Malyshkoverified_filled ,
Yes, the book is amazing! Fun and kind) I’m an adult, and I’m delighted!
A year ago I gave this book to my mom)
It’s wonderful, with the most beautiful illustrations and little poems. Guaranteed to lift your spirits ❤️
A good book 🤗
Vika Malyshkoverified_filled ,
a book for children aged 3 to 107.
You are a wonderful aunt who kept her love for manuls and passed it on to her nephew
What a lovely book! I want a copy.
It would be nice if I can get it on Amazon, but I couldn't find it on neither Amazon Japan nor Amazon US🥲
Is there any Russian marketplace that ships overseas including Japan?
Maeko Ushiro, The internet says there’s a platform called CDEK, something like the post office (I haven’t used it), but they say it can deliver to any country.
I don’t understand Russian at all, but thanks to your kind translations, I was able to read this lovely little Pallas’s cat story! Thank you so much for being so kind and making it possible for me to enjoy it too! 🥹❤️
Pavel Burov, That's for sure!
Вика, Thank you!
I don’t know whether anything will come through, but I’ll try
Вика, CDEK ships to neighboring countries, but not to Japan. So there’s no option here, unfortunately.
Maeko Ushiro, Right now, under sanctions, there are no such marketplaces. All delivery routes have been blocked.
About two years ago, I bought a light novel from Japan through an intermediary company. They first shipped it from Japan to the United States, then from the United States to Germany, and only then from Germany to Russia. All the way around the globe 😺, and it ended up costing three times as much.
So everything is difficult... I can photograph the whole book and send the photos wherever you want, by email, for example
manul is the best, Please! Actually, this is only half the book; the boy keeps putting forward different theories for quite a while, which is why the manul is grumpy.
I didn’t include the solution so as to leave the suspense hanging. But I suppose I should add the ending.
“Under the moon and in the light of day, here’s the trouble: you remember me, and I — hiccup!”
“Only in the evening does sweet drowsiness come, and right after it nasty hiccups attack. I haven’t shut my eyes once all week! — that’s what the manul in his bed replied to me.”
“— Oh! Sorry! — I said. — I’m very sorry. It was an accident. I didn’t know. Have the kindest of nights!
I quickly switched off the night light, and it seemed to me I heard: in the zoo, ‘Hic! Hic! Hic!’ immediately grew quieter.”
~~~
That’s the story. The point is that in Russia there is a belief that when someone is thinking about someone else, that person gets hiccups. So the boy was thinking about the manul, and the hiccups kept the manul from sleeping, which is why he was grumpy.
Maeko Ushiro, I found another option. Do you have access to Chinese AliExpress? They sell this book there.
You need to type it in Russian; I’ll write it now so there’s something to copy it from:
“Why is the manul angry?”
helga ingvar, Your kindness has truly warmed my heart.
Thanks to you, I was able to discover such an incredibly adorable story, and it has also been so much fun learning about a new part of Russian culture.
Thank you so much for sharing this with me! 🥹💕
Thank you so much for sharing the book, Helga! I love it, both the story and the illustrations. It is impossible to buy things from Russia if you live in Europe and it is expensive to buy from outside of Europe due to new regulations. You really made me happy!
Вика, Turned out it doesn't work for me but, anyway, thank you!
helga ingvar, Thank you! If there's no other option, I'll ask you a favor🙏
helga ingvar, Thank you so much! I'll check it up.
Wow that looks amazing! I wish I could get it someday 🙏🏻📖´-
Annika Wawrzyńska, I'm glad you liked it! I was still wondering whether to post it or not.
I remember you once asked about the song about Timofey, but I still couldn't remember what song it might be. But if I ever find it, I'll let you know.
Yuka Bakker, In person, the book is very bright and colorful