Chapter K.D.G to Kavanagh of K by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Katharina, the elder daughter of Baptista of Padua. She was of such an ungovernable spirit and fiery temper, that she was nicknamed “The Shrew.” As it was very unlikely any gentleman would select such a spitfire for his wife, Baptista made a vow that his younger daughter Bianca should not be allowed to marry before her sister. Petruchio married Katharina and tamed her into a most submissive wife, insomuch that when she visited her father a bet was made by Petruchio and two other bridegrooms on their three brides. First Lucentio sent a servant to Bianca to desire her to come into the room; but Bianca sent word that she was busy. Hortensio next sent the servant “to entreat” his bride to come to him; but she replied that Hortensio had better come to her if he wanted her. Petruchio said to the servant, “Tell your mistress I command her to come to me at once;” she came at once, and Petruchio won the bet.—Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew (1594).

Katharine, a lady in attendance on the princess of France. Dumain, a young lord in the suite of Ferdinand king of Navarre, asks her hand in marriage, and she replies—

A twelvemonth and a day
I’ll mark no words that smooth-faced wooers say.
Come then …
And if I have much love, I’ll give you some.
   —Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594).

Katharine (Queen), the divorced wife of Henry VIII.—Shakespeare: Henry VIII. (1601).

The following actresses are celebrated for their impersonations of this character:—Mrs. Pritchard (1711–1768); Margaret [Peg] Woffington (1718–1760); Mrs. Siddons (1755–1831); Mrs. Barley (1785–1850).

Katherine de Medici of China, Voo-chee, widow of king Tae-tsông, She was most imperious and cruel, but her energy was irresistible (684-705).

Kathleen Mavourneen. Words by Mrs. Crawford, music by Frederick William Nicholls Crouch, who died 1896. He was born in 1808 at Warren Street, St. Pancras. The song first appeared in Chapman’s Metropolitan Monthly Magazine. Crouch obtained £100 for the “performing rights” of this song, and Mrs. Crawford £20 for the words of this and three other songs, viz. Dermot Astore! Shella, my Darling Colleen; and The Death of Dermott (on the Field of Waterloo).

Katinka, a Georgian, “white and red, with great blue eyes, a lovely hand and arm, and feet so small they scarce seemed made to tread, but rather skim the earth.” She was one of the three beauties of the harem, into which don Juan was admitted in female disguise. The other two were Lolah and Dudù.—Byron: Don Juan, vi. 40, 41 (1824).

Katmîr, the dog of the seven sleepers. It spoke with a human voice, and said to the young men who wanted to drive it out of the cave, “I love those who love God. Go to sleep, masters, and I will keep guard.” The dog kept guard over them for 309 years, and neither slept nor ate. At death it was taken up into paradise.—Sale: Al Korân, xviii. notes.

(Katmir, in the Oriental Tales, is called “Catnier.”)

The shepherd had a little dog named Catnier [sic], that followed them. They threw a stone at him to drive him back; the stone broke his left leg, but the dog still followed them, limping. They then threw another stone at the dog, and broke his right fore leg. It now followed them on its two hind legs, and a third stone having broken one of these, the poor creature could no longer stand. God now gave it the gift of speech, … at which they were so astonished that they carried it with them by turns.—Comte de Caylus: Oriental Tales (“Dakianos and the Seven Sleepers,” 1743).

He wouldn’t give a bone to Katmîr, or He wouldn’t throw a bone to the dog of the seven sleepers, an Arabic proverb, applied to a very niggardly man.

Kavanagh, a novel by Longfellow (1849). Kavanagh is a clergyman who marries Cecilia Vaughan.