The Washington Post, July 1, 1901

Ancient Version of “The Raven”

Chinese Poet. B. C. 200.

Anticipated Both penzoni and Poe.

Editor Post: I read with considerable interest The Post's review of Col. John A. Joyce's latest book, “Edgar Allan Poe”, and derived some amusement from your reference to the so-called “literal” translation of “an Italian poem.&rdqou; “The Parrot,” which Col. Joyce assures us was written in 1809, many years before Poe Wrote “The Raven,” which the Italian declared was obviously stolen almost bodily from “The Parrot.”

Without entering into the merits of this controversy. I might call Col. Joyce's attention to the literary fact that two hundred years before Christ and a good many more centuries before Penzoni conceived “The Parrot,” a Chinese statesman and poet, who was known to his neighbors by the interesting appellation or “Kai Yi,”¹ anticipated Signor Penzoni and Edgar Poe by writing “The Fu-Niao; or, The Bird of Fate.” The following is not a “literal” translation of this literary curiosity, but it will serve to show the remarkable similitude “The Raven” bears to it:

'Twas in the month of chill November.
As I can very well remember.
In dismal, gloomy, crumbling hall,
Betwixt moss-covered, reeking walls,
An exiled poet lay —

On his bed of Straw reclining,
Half despairing, half repining;
When athwart the window
Flew a bird of omen ill,
seemed inclined to stay.

To my book of occult learning.
Suddenly I thought of turning,
All the mystery to know
Of that shameless owl or crow,
That would not go away.

“Whenever such a bird shall enter,
'Tis sure some power above has sent her,
(So said the mystery book), to show
The human dweller forth must go”—
But where, it did not say,

Then anxiously the bird addressing,
And my ignorance confessing.
“Gentle bird, mercy deign
The will of fate to me explain,
Where is my future way?.”

It raised its head as 'twere seeking,
Then folded up its sable Wing,
Nor did it utter anything,
But breathed a “Well-a-day!”

More eloquent than any diction,
That simple sign produced conviction
Furnishing to me the key
of the awful mystery
That on my spirit lay.

“Fortune's wheel is ever turning
To human eye there's no discerning
Weal or woe in any state:
Wisdom is to bide your fate.”
That is what It seemed to say
In that simple “Well-a-day!”

This may not be very good poetry, but it is a “Raven” poem, without doubt and we should be glad, none the less, to know more about Kai Yi. Perhaps our cultured friend, Minister Wu, can tell us.

Some further interesting reference to the Chinese “Raven” can be found by Col. Joyce and all others interested in “Things Chinese.” written by Mr. J. Dyer Bell and published by the Scribners several years ago.

Whether Poe derived his “conception” from either “The Fu-Niao” or “The Parrot,” every one, be he poet or layman, will concede that his treatment of the subject is considerable improvement, so much so that the literary world for all time to come will regard “The Raven” as a masterpiece.

Edward A. OLDHAM.

1. This appears to be Jia Yi 貢誼 (200-168 BCE) who wrote Funiao fu 鵩鳥賦, “Rhapsody of the Owl”

Ancient Version of “The Raven.” Chinese Poet, B.C. 200, Anticipated Both Penzoni and Poe, The Washington Post, July 1, 1901, Pg. 9.

Read Joyce's reply in the Washington Post, July 8, 1901.

Herbert Allen Giles disposes of this argument, which he attributes to W. A. P. Martin, in an article entitled Poe's “Raven” —in Chinese, Adversaria Sinica, 1915, pp. 1-10. (PDF)