The Cat and the Mouse (Illustrated Edition)

Nejam od-Din ‘Obeyd-e Zakani' or Ubayd-i Zakani (d. 1370 CE), was a Persian poet and satirist of the 14th century (Timurid Period) from the city of Qazvin. He studied in Shiraz, Iran under the best masters of his day, but eventually moved back to his native town of Qazvin. He however preferred Shiraz to Qazvin, as he was a court poet in Shiraz for Shah Abu Ishaq, where a young Hafez was present as well.
His work is noted for its satire and obscene verses, often political or bawdy, and often cited in debates involving homosexual practices. He wrote the Resaleh-ye Delgosha, as well as Akhlaq al-Ashraf ("Ethics of the Aristocracy") and the famous humorous fable Masnavi Mush-O-Gorbeh (Mouse and Cat), which was a political satire. His non-satirical serious classical verses have also been regarded as very well written, in league with the other great works of Persian literature. He is one of the most remarkable poets, satirists and social critics of Iran (Persia), whose works have not received proper attention in the past. His books are translated into Russian, Danish, Italian, and English.

A gypsy scolded his son and said, "You do no work and waste your life in idleness. How often must I tell you to practice and learn how to dance on a rope and make a dog jump through a hoop so that you can achieve something in your life. If you don't listen to me, I swear by God, I will send you to the school to learn their good-for-nothing sciences and become a scholar so as to live in misery and adversity and never be able to earn a penny wherever you go."

In such witty and pungent anecdotes 'Obeyd-e Zakani criticizes the social corruption of his age. 'Obeyd-e Zakani (died circa 1372 A.D.) is one of the most remarkable poets, satirists and social critics of Iran, whose works have not received proper attention in the past. After being translated into Russian, Danish and Italian, this is the first selection of his works in English.

'Obeyd's satirical works more than anything else in Persian literature illustrate the social conditions of this period. It is true that some other poets of his age vehemently attacked corruption and social injustice in their poems, but the wit and insight of 'Obeyd give his works a special character.

'Obeyd looks upon this world of extravagant indulgence and corruption with the censorious eye of a Juvenal and portrays it with the cynicism and wit of a Voltaire and the hilarious grotesqueness of a Rabelais. Underneath his cheerful irresponsibility and nonchalance there lie a sadness and bitterness.

Seeing this scene of deceit, greed, lust, sycophancy, perversion, scorn of the old values and virtues, extremes of wealth and poverty, violence and bloodshed, he expresses his indignation in the form of scathing stories and sardonic maxims.

He says: "Engage in ribaldry, cuckoldry, gossip, ingratitude, false testimony, selling heaven for the world, and playing the tambourine, so that you may become dear to the great and enjoy your life."
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