The cats of Ulthar

The Cats of Ulthar (English original title: The Cats of Ulthar ) is a short story by the American writer HP Lovecraft . It was written in June 1920 and first published in the amateur journal Tryout in November of that year.

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The story begins with a caravan of dark wanderers coming to the city of Ulthar. These are very different in their appearance and religion from the other caravans that otherwise come through Ulthar. With them is the boy Menes, who lost both parents to the plague, but finds comfort in a little kitten.

Three days after the caravan arrives, Menes cannot find his kitten. The townspeople then tell him about an old couple who live in a small hut near town and who for no reason kill all cats that approach their home. Menes then prays to heaven in a language that no resident of Ulthar understands. During prayer, misty figures are formed from the clouds in the sky, resembling the idols of the dark wanderers. On the night of the same day, the caravan leaves the city and never returns. The townspeople then notice that all of the cats have disappeared. At first the suspicion falls on the dark wanderers, but since it was observed that all the cats have run to the hut of the old couple, they are then suspected of being responsible for their disappearance. However, none of the townspeople is brave enough to confront the old couple. The next morning, all cats come back to their owners and do not eat for two days. Over time, the couple's absence becomes apparent and the mayor of Ulthar goes to their hut. There he only finds the two gnawed skeletons of the residents and a few strange bugs in the corners of the hut. After that, the killing of cats was banned in Ulthar.

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HP Lovecraft was an outspoken cat lover, as reflected in his essay Something About Cats . He particularly showed his fondness for cats in the introduction to the story:

“Because the cat is mysterious and familiar with strange things that humans cannot see. She is the soul of ancient Egypt and brings stories from forgotten cities in Meroë and Ophir . She is from the race of the lords of the jungle and heir to the secrets of ancient and eerie Africa. The sphinx is her cousin and the cat speaks her language. But she is older than the Sphinx and remembers what she forgot. "

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↑ In the original: For the cat is cryptic, and close to strange things which men cannot see. He is the soul of antique Aegyptus, and bearer of tales from forgotten cities in Meroë and Ophir. He is the kin of the jungle's lords and heir to the secrets of hoary and sinister Africa. The sphinx is his cousin, and he speaks her language; but he is more ancient than the sphinx, and remembers that which she hath forgotten. ( The Dreams in the Witch House. Penguin, 2004, p. 19)

HP Lovecraft's Library of Secrets. Volume 20: Necronomicon. Festa, Leipzig 2007, ISBN 978-3-86552-063-0 .

[1] In the original: For the cat is cryptic, and close to strange things which men cannot see. He is the soul of antique Aegyptus, and bearer of tales from forgotten cities in Meroë and Ophir. He is the kin of the jungle's lords and heir to the secrets of hoary and sinister Africa. The sphinx is his cousin, and he speaks her language; but he is more ancient than the sphinx, and remembers that which she hath forgotten. ( The Dreams in the Witch House. Penguin, 2004, p. 19)