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Pangur Bán Celtic Fantasies #4
Shape-Shifter: The Naming of Pangur Bán
Deep in a mountain cave a witch is plotting "We need something small, something sly, to carry a spell . . . and then we shall see who reigns on the Black Mountain!" The kitten Shape-Shifter is her victim. But before the charm is complete, the kitten escapes. He flees, in a terrifying chase, caught in a spell gone wrong and a shape that he cannot control. He brings disaster even to those who want to help him. Is there another power that can break the spell?
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
4 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Fay Sampson
66 books35 followersFay Sampson graduated in Mathematics, and trained as a teacher. Combining teaching with writing, Fay's children's books were frequently featured in 'Children's Books of the Year'. When she became a full-time writer, she turned to writing novels for adults, based on history and legend. She now lives with her husband in a Tudor cottage in mid-Devon.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 12, 2017
Pangur Ban is named for a cat described by a young monk who was an illustrator and scribe in a medieval monastery. This charming series of books follows the white cat's adventures in Celtic British Isles.
This is a prequel and is somewhat unrealistic in that a kitten not old enough to be weaned, or barely weaned, is running around doing all kinds of things. But it's a fantasy. The kit is born in a witches' cave in Wales just as some monks arrive with a young nun to rebuild a monastery destroyed by Vikings. Niall is among the group and he first meets the kit as a hare hiding from a hound. Because the kit is under a spell making him a shape shifter, just as the witches shift shape. The power struggle between the angered old forces and the new Christian ways is played out by the characters.
We don't get a good impression of the witches, who were in most cases just herb-users and midwives, but there is lots of nice nature description including life from the perspective of a trout or hare. Very exciting and can be scary for young readers.
This is a prequel and is somewhat unrealistic in that a kitten not old enough to be weaned, or barely weaned, is running around doing all kinds of things. But it's a fantasy. The kit is born in a witches' cave in Wales just as some monks arrive with a young nun to rebuild a monastery destroyed by Vikings. Niall is among the group and he first meets the kit as a hare hiding from a hound. Because the kit is under a spell making him a shape shifter, just as the witches shift shape. The power struggle between the angered old forces and the new Christian ways is played out by the characters.
We don't get a good impression of the witches, who were in most cases just herb-users and midwives, but there is lots of nice nature description including life from the perspective of a trout or hare. Very exciting and can be scary for young readers.
February 26, 2020
I was 9 years old when I read “Pangur Ban, The White Cat,” and I immediately followed it up with the only other two books in this series that were available at the school library, which were of course not the consecutive sequels in the story. I always wondered what happened in between and how it ended and wasn’t able to get Finnglas and Pangur out of my head. So I managed to buy the whole set from a overseas seller a few years ago, and finally got around to reading the first one, the prequel written some years after “Pangur Ban.” and one which I hadn’t been able to read back then.
These stories are based off an Irish legend, I gather, about a little white cat that has the ability to shape-shift, and this first story is how the little white kitten is chosen for a witch’s spell, or actually the combined spell of three witches, in order to make him their minion and do their bidding. But the spell is only half completed when Pangur manages to escape their clutches. The story also follows a small group of Christian monks and nuns who’ve just arrived in Wales from Ireland to rebuild an abbey that was previously destroyed in a Viking raid at the foot of a mysterious peak, Black Mountain, known by the locals to be the location of the witches’ cave. Fleeing the witches, Pangur is aided by this ragtag group, some of whom believe he carries the witches’ demonic taint and should be eliminated, while others see that he is just a scared kitten that should be aided by them and shown the love and compassion of the god they worship.
It’s a sweet little story, but unfortunately suffers when – once Pangur has fled – becomes literally one single drawn out plot beat of him fleeing as hare, fleeing as fish, fleeing as bee, and finally a cat. The reason for this was due to the 3-part nature of the spell that the witches attempted to put on him, but it’s just drawn out for far too long. There are a number of other perplexing scenes where I felt the description of the setting was inadequate and felt a little bit confused by the sudden arrival of a character somewhere without any explanation of how they got there. I felt it sorely lacked on editing and must have been rushed to publication. It was still an interesting and unique children’s tale and I do want to continue with the rest of the series which I remember focuses on Pangur as an adult cat where he has a much more developed character and impacts on the story instead of the story simply happening to him.
I did enjoy reading about Niall Big-Hands, the enthusiastic young Irishman who accompanied the party as an extra pair of hands and a strong labourer but is struggling to figure out his place in the world. He’s enthusiastic about everything, but suffers from the feeling that he is an unnecessary third wheel per se. His character arc was the most interesting aspect of the book, and was linked in some nefarious way to the witches’ spell and the shadow of Black Mountain.
These stories are based off an Irish legend, I gather, about a little white cat that has the ability to shape-shift, and this first story is how the little white kitten is chosen for a witch’s spell, or actually the combined spell of three witches, in order to make him their minion and do their bidding. But the spell is only half completed when Pangur manages to escape their clutches. The story also follows a small group of Christian monks and nuns who’ve just arrived in Wales from Ireland to rebuild an abbey that was previously destroyed in a Viking raid at the foot of a mysterious peak, Black Mountain, known by the locals to be the location of the witches’ cave. Fleeing the witches, Pangur is aided by this ragtag group, some of whom believe he carries the witches’ demonic taint and should be eliminated, while others see that he is just a scared kitten that should be aided by them and shown the love and compassion of the god they worship.
It’s a sweet little story, but unfortunately suffers when – once Pangur has fled – becomes literally one single drawn out plot beat of him fleeing as hare, fleeing as fish, fleeing as bee, and finally a cat. The reason for this was due to the 3-part nature of the spell that the witches attempted to put on him, but it’s just drawn out for far too long. There are a number of other perplexing scenes where I felt the description of the setting was inadequate and felt a little bit confused by the sudden arrival of a character somewhere without any explanation of how they got there. I felt it sorely lacked on editing and must have been rushed to publication. It was still an interesting and unique children’s tale and I do want to continue with the rest of the series which I remember focuses on Pangur as an adult cat where he has a much more developed character and impacts on the story instead of the story simply happening to him.
I did enjoy reading about Niall Big-Hands, the enthusiastic young Irishman who accompanied the party as an extra pair of hands and a strong labourer but is struggling to figure out his place in the world. He’s enthusiastic about everything, but suffers from the feeling that he is an unnecessary third wheel per se. His character arc was the most interesting aspect of the book, and was linked in some nefarious way to the witches’ spell and the shadow of Black Mountain.
September 18, 2021
Not without its flaws, but also not without real genius and cohesion. A promising start.
March 13, 2022
A group of monks and nuns have come from Erin to Wales to rebuild a monastery sacked by the vikings. Amongst them is the young monk, Niall Big-Hands, and the Pictish princess, Drusticc.
Brooding above the ruined buildings is the Black Mountain, home of three witches who are creating a spell to destroy the hopes of restoration forever. Part of their spell involves a tiny white kitten whose eyes have just opened: a kitten that one witch names Shape-shifter and another Change-Child. Wanting only the culmination of the shapechanging brew and the third name, the witches prepare their malice. But the little cat is afraid and runs, knocking over the brew and being splashed by it.
Escaping the witches' cave, the kitten turns into a hare and hurtles away, hotly pursued by a greyhound - a transmogrified witch. "Help!" the hare calls to the monks and Niall and Drusticc hear it and feel called to aid it.
But Conan, the leader, is convinced it's evil and wants to kill it.
So begins the hunt of the kitten as it changes from hare to salmon to bee. Slowly Niall becomes convinced that the evil is not in the shapechanging animal but in himself: every time he tries an art or craft his heart is drawn to, a near-fatal accident happens to one of his companions just after they've begun to teach him. And every time he tries to make something, whether a drawing or a sculpture, a cat is part of it, though he has no intention of drawing cats.
It becomes obvious that the life of Niall and that of the shapechanger are in some way bound together. If only he can save it from the Wild Hunt...
Brooding above the ruined buildings is the Black Mountain, home of three witches who are creating a spell to destroy the hopes of restoration forever. Part of their spell involves a tiny white kitten whose eyes have just opened: a kitten that one witch names Shape-shifter and another Change-Child. Wanting only the culmination of the shapechanging brew and the third name, the witches prepare their malice. But the little cat is afraid and runs, knocking over the brew and being splashed by it.
Escaping the witches' cave, the kitten turns into a hare and hurtles away, hotly pursued by a greyhound - a transmogrified witch. "Help!" the hare calls to the monks and Niall and Drusticc hear it and feel called to aid it.
But Conan, the leader, is convinced it's evil and wants to kill it.
So begins the hunt of the kitten as it changes from hare to salmon to bee. Slowly Niall becomes convinced that the evil is not in the shapechanging animal but in himself: every time he tries an art or craft his heart is drawn to, a near-fatal accident happens to one of his companions just after they've begun to teach him. And every time he tries to make something, whether a drawing or a sculpture, a cat is part of it, though he has no intention of drawing cats.
It becomes obvious that the life of Niall and that of the shapechanger are in some way bound together. If only he can save it from the Wild Hunt...
September 18, 2009
Lyrical writing style and celtic, dark ages medieval atmosphere is good.
Though named as the first in the series this was actually written much later.
I am torn between recommending this or "the white cat" as a starting point though as they both stand alone quite well.
Overall there was a bit too much chasing and it was too short but I liked the characters and the background to the later books.
Though named as the first in the series this was actually written much later.
I am torn between recommending this or "the white cat" as a starting point though as they both stand alone quite well.
Overall there was a bit too much chasing and it was too short but I liked the characters and the background to the later books.
January 23, 2012
An excellent Celtic tale for younger readers, but enjoyable for all ages. I love the interweaving of elements of Celtic legends into an adventure story and the character of a cat, which appeals to young animal lovers.
August 3, 2014
After watching Secret of Kells several times, we did research into the real Pangur Ban (as well as some medieval kitties who mucked up manuscripts! http://www.fisheaters.com/pangurban.html) and came across this series. While this is the fourth in the series, it's really a prequel.
January 11, 2015
Meh. Plays fast and loose with historical accuracy and a little predictable, but hey, my cat-crazy 10-year old liked it, so on to the sequel. I found these after my son watched the movie Secret of Kells over and over and learned the Pangur Ban song
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews