Betty M. Alink

The items on the painting belonged to the Irishman O'Brady who half believed in the old myths and sagas and for the other half was a devote Roman Catholic.

During The Great War he fought in the Krim where he found the upper copper jug of a  samovar. He liked it and took it with him, you never know if it could be of any use. During this war O'Brady got wounded and his buddy bandaged him with his handkerchief.

After his return home O'Brady worked in his fathers woodworkshop. Although the wound was healed, he still suffered from pain. Strengthened by his believe in God and miracles, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. To prevent him from further mischief, his sister gave him a rabbit foot.

In the dusty streets of Jerusalem he met an Egyptian salesman with whom he talked for a long time. As a present he received the little statue of a cat. Only years later O'Brady discovered that this was a statue of the Egyptian God Bastet. The statue has always been in a niche on his bedside.