Puss inBoots

Long ago there lived a miller and his three sons. When the miller died he left the mill to the eldest son, his donkey to the second son, and for the youngest son there was nothing left but the cat. Now the eldest son and the second son were happy with their share. But the third son was sad, for how could anyone make a living with only a cat?

"Alas," said the boy. "I could sell the cat's skin for a penny or make me a cap of it. But what else is a cat good for? I'll starve surely."

As the youngest son sat thus bemoaning his fate, the cat heard him. Going up to his woeful young master he said, "Good master, do not be downhearted. If you will but get me a pair of boots and a large bag with a drawstring, I shall make your living for you."

Realizing that this was no ordinary cat, but a wise and clever one, the boy did as he was bidden. As soon as Puss had his boots and his bag, he hurried into the near-by wood. Putting some clover and buttercups into his bag and leaving it invitingly open, he lay down and pretended to sleep. Along hopped a foolish fat rabbit, who, smelling the green stuff in the bag, hopped in after it. Quick as a wink, Puss in Boots pulled the drawstring tight and had the rabbit in the bag.

Then he hastened to the royal palace and asked to see the King. When he came before the ruler Puss bowed low and said, "Sire, I have here a fine hare which has been sent you by my lord the Marquis of Carabas." And Puss smiled behind his whiskers, thinking of the noble, high-sounding name he had made up for his master.

The King thanked him, for the hare was indeed a fine one, and Puss in Boots departed.

Next day Puss went out agin with his bag. This time he baited it with grain. Again he left it open and lay down to a pretended nap. Along came a fine fat partridge, who, seeing the grain in the open bag, went in after it. At once sly Puss in Boots drew the string tight and the partridge was caught. As before, Puss in Boots went to the palace and politely asked to see the King. When he has been admitted to the King's presence he said, "Sire, here is a gift from the Marquis of Carabas. He has many of these fine rare birds upon his land."

The King was pleased with the thoughtfulness of this unknown Marquis of Carabas, and did not let on that he had never heard the name before. Of course, no one else had ever heard of it either, since Puss had made it up. But no one in the King's court wanted to admit his ignorance, and so no one ever asked who the Marquis of Carabas was.

For some time Puss in Boots continued to bring gifts to the King, until that vain personage began to think the Marquis of Carabas must be a rich young man indeed.

One day Puss heard that the King and his lovely daughter were going for a drive along the river.

Hastening to his young master he said, "Good master, if you will follow my directions, I think your fortune is made."

Then he told the miller's son everything he had done, adding that the youth must go to bathe in the river at the exact time and the exact spot Puss in Boots should tell him.

The young man did as he was told, although he didn't see the sense of it. As he was swimming about in the water the cat took his shabby clothes and hid them under a rock. When he heard the rumble of the King's carriage, Puss ran to the road crying, "Help! Help! The Marquis of Carabas is drowning!"

Recognizing Puss, the King stopped the carrige and ordered his servant to go and pull the Marquis out. Puss ran up to the carriage and said, "Oh, Sire, I don't know what to do. While he was swimming, my master's fine clothes were stolen."

The King sent his servant to the palace at once with orders to fetch clothes suitable for a rich nobleman. When the miller's son had donned the silken clothing, which was better than he had ever seen before, he looked so handsome that the Princess fell in love with him at sight. She begged her father to take the young man into the carriage with them.

Puss in Boots ran joyfully ahead of the carriage and was soon out of sight. When he saw some reapers in a grain field, he ran up to them and cried, "The royal coach is coming this way. When the King asks you who owns these fields, see that you answer, 'The Marquis of Carabas.' If you do not, you will be ground into mincemeat."

Not wanting to be ground into micemeat, the reapers agreed. When the King approached he called out, "Who owns these fine fields?"

The reapers answered, "The Marquis of Carabas, Sire!"

Puss ran on till he came to some men who were mowing the hay in the meadow. He ran up to them and cried, "The Royal coach is coming this way. When the King asks you who owns these fields, see that you answer, 'The Marquis of Carabas.' If you refuse you will be ground into mincemeat."

These people, too, obeyed the cat. So again the King was told that the land belonged to the Marquis of Carabas.

Next Puss came to a great castle in the wood. He knew it to be the castle of a terrible ogre who had the magic power to change himself into many other shapes. Going to the door he said, "I have a message for the owner of this castle."

When he was led into the presence of the ogre, Puss said, "I have heard so much about you that I had to pay you a visit. I cannot believe that the things I hear are true. Surely you cannot change yourself into a lion!"

"Oho, can't I?" said the ogre, greatly flattered. And he promptly changed himself into a lion to provethat he could do it. At the sight of the lion Puss ran up the curtain in fright. There he clung until the ogre was himself again.

Then he came down and said, "Marvelous! Simply marvelous! You became a huge lion in a twinkling. But can you become something small? Surely it is not true that you can change into a mouse!"

"Oho, can't I?" roared the ogre, and in an instant he had became a timid little mouse.

Faster than lightning Puss pounced upon the mouse and ate him up. Then, running to the door, he saw the royal coach approaching. Holding the door wide, he called out, "Welcome to the castle of Marquis of Carabas!"

When the King saw the rich palace the Marquis owned, and had walked through the spacious grounds, he made no objection to his daughter's marrying the young man, which she did at once. And that is how the famous Puss in Boots made his master's fortune.