The purpose of this project was to choose a person from the painting Netherlandish Proverbs by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, write a short story inspired by them, and then illustrate them. I chose to write a heartwarming story about the knight and his cat and illustrate a portrait of them in my own style.
The Story of Barnabas and Miss Mew Mew
Barnabas was tired of working in the fields. He longed to be a knight like his grandfather before him. Barnabas still had the armor passed down through his family, though it was rusty and missing the sword.
One day, Barnabas decided he had had enough. He didn’t go to the fields in the morning, instead spending the whole day polishing his grandfather’s armor. He donned it and set out for the city, to make his debut as a knight, though he didn’t own a horse, so he had to walk there. Once arrived, he stopped by a local tavern to ask about where he could find work as a knight. The owner raised his brows as he took in Barnabas’s ill-fitting armor, still rusty despite his best efforts, and his empty scabbard, but directed him to the castle barracks nonetheless.
Barabas knocked on the barrack’s door. A tall, muscular man opened it, towering over him. Inside, knights were gathered around the table, laughing, drinking, and playing cards.
“Whaddya want?” grunted the man who opened the door.
“Good morrow, sir, I have come to join your ranks as a noble knight,” Barabas answered confidently. The man, a real knight, took one look at Barnabas and laughed raucously.
“Oi,” he called back to his fellow knights, “come look at this! This here lad wants to be a knight!” Mocking laughter burst out among the other knights as they gathered around to ogle at Barnabas.
“Look at that armor! It don’t even fit him! And is that rust?” one fellow barked out.
“His scabbard is empty too! What do ya expect to defeat your enemies with, air? Another snickered.
“Come now, let’s not be hasty, he’s at least got to have a noble steed” a third leered knowingly. Barabas just hung his head in shame. The knights jeered and heckled him a bit more, and then slammed the door in his face. Barabas walked away dejectedly, berating himself for ever thinking he could be a knight.
On his way home, he spotted a stray cat on the side of the road. She rubbed up against his legs, mewling pleadingly, looking up at Barnabas with big, sad eyes. Barnabas knelt down to give her a scratch behind the ears.
“What a right pitiful pair we make,” he commented. “No one wants us, do they? Alright, you can come home with me. I can spare a bit of food.” He picked the cat up, and she began to purr.
“What should I call you?” Barnabas asked as they walked. The cat meowed, and he laughed. “Alright then, Miss Mew Mew it is.”
One day, Barnabas decided he had had enough. He didn’t go to the fields in the morning, instead spending the whole day polishing his grandfather’s armor. He donned it and set out for the city, to make his debut as a knight, though he didn’t own a horse, so he had to walk there. Once arrived, he stopped by a local tavern to ask about where he could find work as a knight. The owner raised his brows as he took in Barnabas’s ill-fitting armor, still rusty despite his best efforts, and his empty scabbard, but directed him to the castle barracks nonetheless.
Barabas knocked on the barrack’s door. A tall, muscular man opened it, towering over him. Inside, knights were gathered around the table, laughing, drinking, and playing cards.
“Whaddya want?” grunted the man who opened the door.
“Good morrow, sir, I have come to join your ranks as a noble knight,” Barabas answered confidently. The man, a real knight, took one look at Barnabas and laughed raucously.
“Oi,” he called back to his fellow knights, “come look at this! This here lad wants to be a knight!” Mocking laughter burst out among the other knights as they gathered around to ogle at Barnabas.
“Look at that armor! It don’t even fit him! And is that rust?” one fellow barked out.
“His scabbard is empty too! What do ya expect to defeat your enemies with, air? Another snickered.
“Come now, let’s not be hasty, he’s at least got to have a noble steed” a third leered knowingly. Barabas just hung his head in shame. The knights jeered and heckled him a bit more, and then slammed the door in his face. Barabas walked away dejectedly, berating himself for ever thinking he could be a knight.
On his way home, he spotted a stray cat on the side of the road. She rubbed up against his legs, mewling pleadingly, looking up at Barnabas with big, sad eyes. Barnabas knelt down to give her a scratch behind the ears.
“What a right pitiful pair we make,” he commented. “No one wants us, do they? Alright, you can come home with me. I can spare a bit of food.” He picked the cat up, and she began to purr.
“What should I call you?” Barnabas asked as they walked. The cat meowed, and he laughed. “Alright then, Miss Mew Mew it is.”
The next morning, Barnabas woke up to yowling in his ear, Miss Mew Mew insisting to be fed. He groaned and rolled out of bed. As they both ate, Barnabas considered his new companion.
“We ought to get you a collar or something, so people know you have a home now,” he mused out loud.
After breakfast, they set out for the market, Miss Mew Mew following at Barnabas’s heels. The market was in its usual chaos. People and animals both ran about in various drunken and crazed states, yelling and braying. Just another normal day. Barabas bought a bell and piece of twine, and tied it around Miss Mew Mew’s neck.
As they were walking back, Barnabas heard someone cry out, “Stop! Thief!” A man darted past, but as he did so, he stepped on Miss Mew Mew’s tail. Enraged, she jumped on the thief’s leg and began biting and slashing with her claws. Howling in pain, the man fell to the ground, dropping his stolen goods. The guards were able to grab him and drag him off to jail, and the goods were returned to the merchant. No one paid any attention to the small grey cat that had valiantly stopped the thief, except Barnabas. He grinned proudly, rubbing Miss Mew Mew under the chin. He may not have a sword or steed, but he did have a courageous cat.
“We ought to get you a collar or something, so people know you have a home now,” he mused out loud.
After breakfast, they set out for the market, Miss Mew Mew following at Barnabas’s heels. The market was in its usual chaos. People and animals both ran about in various drunken and crazed states, yelling and braying. Just another normal day. Barabas bought a bell and piece of twine, and tied it around Miss Mew Mew’s neck.
As they were walking back, Barnabas heard someone cry out, “Stop! Thief!” A man darted past, but as he did so, he stepped on Miss Mew Mew’s tail. Enraged, she jumped on the thief’s leg and began biting and slashing with her claws. Howling in pain, the man fell to the ground, dropping his stolen goods. The guards were able to grab him and drag him off to jail, and the goods were returned to the merchant. No one paid any attention to the small grey cat that had valiantly stopped the thief, except Barnabas. He grinned proudly, rubbing Miss Mew Mew under the chin. He may not have a sword or steed, but he did have a courageous cat.
So began the noble adventures of Barnabas and Miss Mew Mew. They set out to travel the country, vanquishing any foe they came across. Their success gained the attention of the people, and soon everyone was talking about the brave knight and his valiant cat. The king officially knighted them, and they defended their country from thieves and ruffians for years to come. When they retired, Barnabas had enough money for them to live in comfort, and no one was more spoiled or well fed as Miss Mew Mew, the knight’s cat.
Netherlandish Proverbs by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Process Pictures:
thumbnails
sketch 1
