Abstract

Meow Te Ching features more than 200 proverbs on everything from philosophy and mysticism ("Do not blame God for creating dogs, but thank him for not giving them wings") to romance ("No road seems long when a cat goes to meet his lover"). And such seemingly familiar axioms as: o "Give me liberty or give me my next life." o "The early cat catches the early bird." o "You can't have your mouse and eat it too." According to the book's introduction, Meow Tzu, whose teachings are presented in Meow Te Ching, is probably the most famous cat to have ever lived; yet most humans know little about him. Cats have kept his name a secret, waiting for the darkest hour, when most people are asleep, to pass on his wisdom from generation to generation. Recently, however, archaeological digs near the Dead Sea, Machu Picchu, and Tibet have unearthed a number of manuscripts, notes taken by disciples of the venerable Meow. These ancient manuscripts reveal a cat with remarkable insight into feline nature. In addition, the sayings in Meow Te Ching give people the opportunity to learn a thing or two about themselves.