There is a fascinating legend of how the BIRMAN developed its colour

Many centuries ago,by a sparkling lake in a valley surrounded by majestic mountains, Temple of Lao Tsun was guarded by 100 yellowed-eyed white cats with long , silken hair.

The temple housed a beautiful golden goddess with sapphire blue eyes, who watched over the transmutation of souls. The head priest, Mun-Ha, whose beard had been braided with gold by the great god Song-Hio, and who often knelt in meditation before the golden goddess, Tsun-Kyan-Kse , had as his beloved companion a beautiful temple cat ,

Sinh who was always by his side and shared his meditation. As the holy priest prayed , the Sacred Cat would gaze steadily at the shining goddess. One night , as the moon rose and the venerable Mun-Ha was kneeling before the sacred goddess , the temple was attacked by raiders and Mun-Ha was killed. At the exact moment of his master's death , Sinh placed his feet upon the priest's flowing robes and faced the golden goddess. It was at that very instant that an amazing transformation took place Immediately the hairs of his white body were as though misted with the glow radiating from the beautiful goddess of gold. Her deep sapphire blue eyes became his very own. His face , ears ,legs and tail became the velvety brown colour of rich earth , but his four paws resting gently on his dead master remained perfectly white , a symbol of purity.

The next morning, the temple radiated with the transformation of the remaining 99 cats , which, with Sinh , reflected the golden hue of a hundred brilliant sunrises. Sinh did not move from that place after his master's death , but instead gazed unblinking into the sapphire eyes of the goddess. There , exactly 7 days later , he too died, carrying with him into Paradise the soul of Mun-Ha , his beloved master. Afterwards it was believed that when a priest dies , his soul was taken up by one of the Sacred Cats and transported to heaven.

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