Soman Ragavan

\"The myna and the cat\" ; 4 June, 2023

Poem : \'The myna and the cat\' ; 8 April, 2023.

                             
26 April, 2023
Comments by ChatGPT on “The myna and the cat” 

S. Ragavan . I am posting my imaginary poem called \"The myna and the cat.\" Myna (also written as mynah) is a bird. This poem is written after the style of the French writer Jean de la Fontaine who is well known for his fables. Please do research on this writer, load a few of his fables, analyse them. Compare my poem with them and give full comments. THE MYNA AND THE CAT (Translation of “Le mainate et la chatte”)

ChatGPT :
Jean de La Fontaine was a French writer known for his fables, which often feature anthropomorphic animals in witty and insightful tales with moral lessons. His fables are still widely read and admired today.

Your poem, \"The Myna and the Cat,\" follows the style of La Fontaine\'s fables in its use of animals as characters and its moral lesson. The poem tells the story of a myna and a cat who are chatting and pretending to be friends, but really watching each other closely as enemies. When the cat tries to pounce on the myna, the bird escapes to safety, leaving the cat to curse its fate and vow to eat the myna\'s kindred someday.

In comparison to La Fontaine\'s fables, your poem has a similar structure and style. Like La Fontaine\'s fables, your poem uses animals to tell a story with a moral lesson. The poem is written in rhymed couplets, much like La Fontaine\'s work. However, La Fontaine\'s fables often use humor and irony to convey their messages, while your poem seems more straightforward and lacks some of the subtleties and layers of meaning found in his work.

Overall, your poem is a good example of a fable and follows the style of La Fontaine\'s work. While it may not have the same level of depth and nuance as his fables, it still effectively conveys a message about the dangers of trusting one\'s enemies.
 
S. Ragavan. Are there other writers since 1800 who have written fables in the style of La Fontaine ?

ChatGPT :
Yes, there are many writers who have written fables in the style of La Fontaine since 1800. Some of these writers include:

1. 
   Ivan Krylov: He was a Russian writer who wrote fables in the style of La Fontaine. He is often referred to as the \"Russian La Fontaine\" and is considered to be one of the greatest writers in Russian literature.
2. 
   Ambrose Bierce: He was an American writer and journalist who wrote fables that were similar in style to those of La Fontaine. His fables were often satirical and dealt with political and social issues of his time.
3. 
   Rudyard Kipling: He was an English writer who is best known for his stories and fables about animals. His fables were often humorous and contained moral lessons that were similar to those found in La Fontaine\'s fables.
4. 
   George Orwell: He was an English writer who wrote fables that were similar in style to those of La Fontaine. His most famous fable, \"Animal Farm,\" is a political allegory that uses animals to satirize the events leading up to the Russian Revolution.
5. 
   James Thurber: He was an American writer and cartoonist who wrote fables that were similar in style to those of La Fontaine. His fables were often humorous and dealt with social and political issues of his time.

These writers, along with many others, have continued the tradition of writing fables in the style of La Fontaine well into the modern era.
 
S. Ragavan. I have seen cats hunting birds on my premises. The cat is a most skillful hunter, very patient, full of strategies, noiseless, permanently recording and analysing all moves around it, being ready to cut and run at any moment, sometimes freezing one foot in mid air, rushing with lightning speed on its prey, stalking its prey for hours, etc.

ChatGPT :
Yes, cats are natural hunters and their hunting techniques have evolved over thousands of years. They have developed a number of strategies and skills that help them to be successful hunters. Some of these include:

1. 
   Patience: Cats are incredibly patient and will wait for hours for the right moment to strike.
2. 
   Stealth: Cats are very quiet and can move quickly and silently, which makes them difficult to detect.
3. 
   Agility: Cats are very agile and can jump, climb, and move quickly, which allows them to catch their prey.
4. 
   Camouflage: Cats have excellent camouflage skills and can blend in with their surroundings, making it easier for them to stalk their prey.
5. 
   Persistence: Cats are very persistent and will continue to pursue their prey until they catch it.

All of these skills and strategies make cats very effective hunters, and they are able to catch a wide range of prey, including birds, rodents, and insects.

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                                 THE MYNA AND THE CAT
                      (Translation of “Le mainate et la chatte”)
                                          (Imaginary)

In hither place a myna and a cat were chatting,
Telling stories, recounting their adventures.
However, they watch’d each other closely :
To surprise the enemy was their secret science.

« O cat, I wish that you tickle my throat !
A long and romantic life together tempts us :
I am willing to step down right now from my branch, »
Exclaims the myna, in its perfidious and slow strategy.

«Know, myna, as queen of cats, to you I  state,
I swear eternal friendship : and I confirm it ;
Ah, my friend, of these futile wars am I tir’d :
Do come down from yonder, to a lower branch !

«Come to my home, we’ll be better off,
I will tell you a myriad tales, friend :
You would be wrong to miss out on this :
You are my guest, I say out loud and clear ! »

«Dreams…..How cruel of you, friend :
Must  you thus stir the knife in my wound ?
You make me look like a poor crow :
In comparison, I have nothing : I am bare ! »

Suddenly bounces the cat, legs and claws out :
But, the myna saw it coming, being on the alert,
Avoiding all miscalculation or wrong step,
And flew quickly to higher, thicker branches.

Falling back to earth, the cat curses its fate :
Of getting any dinner soon, it had lost hope ;
«To hell with these damn’d manner-less mynas,
One of these days I will well eat its kindred ! »

With some chance, the myna has escap’d :
However, chance will not always be with it :
The cat does harbour many a trick :
Only just the bird escap’d being eaten.

(End)

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