ONCE upon a time there was a poor miller who had three sons, and when he died he had nothing to leave them except his mill, a donkey, and a cat. The division was quickly made without the help of either lawyer or judge. The eldest son took the mill, and the second took the donkey. So there was nothing left for the youngest but the cat, and the poor fellow could not help feeling that he had been treated shabbily. “My brothers will be able to earn a comfortable livelihood,” he sighed, “but as for me, though Puss may feed himself by catching mice, he can’t feed me, and I shall certainly die of hunger.”
While he spoke, the cat was sitting near by and heard all he said. Immediately the creature jumped on his shoulder, rubbed gently against his cheek, and began to speak. “Dear master,” said he, “do not grieve. I am not as useless as you think. Give me a bag, and buy me a pair of boots so I can scamper through the brush and brambles, and I will make your fortune for you.”
The lad had very little money to spare, but he knew Puss was a faithful creature, and he had seen him play many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice, so that he did not altogether despair of his affording him some help. Therefore he bought him a smart pair of boots made of buff-colored leather, and gave him the bag for which he had asked.
Puss drew on the boots, and then he fitted slip-strings around the mouth of the bag, put some bran and parsley inside, and trotted off with it to a neighboring hillside where there was an abundance of rabbits. He laid the bag on the ground with the mouth of it propped open, and hid himself in the ferns and bushes and waited. Presently two foolish young rabbits came sniffing about and crept into the bag to get some of the bran and parsley. The clever cat at once drew the slip-strings close, and the rabbits were caught. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and away he went to the royal palace, where he asked to speak with the king. The guards ushered him into the king’s presence, and Puss made a low bow, lifted the rabbits out of his bag, and said, “Sir, my noble lord, the Marquis of Carabas” (this was the title he chose to confer on his master) “has commanded me to present these rabbits to your Majesty, with his respects.”
“Tell your master that I thank him,” said the king, “and that he has given me great pleasure.”
Then he dismissed Puss with many compliments and a purse of gold, and ordered his head cook to serve the rabbits for dinner so he and his daughter might enjoy them.
The next day Puss went and hid in a grain field with the bag baited and open near his hiding-place. A brace of partridges ran into it, and he drew the strings and caught them. These he took home to his master, and he went hunting every pleasant day. He kept his master so well supplied with game that they lived in plenty, and often he carried some game to the king. Whatever it was that he presented at the palace, it was always with the message, “From my lord, the Marquis of Carabas.” So every one at court was talking of this strange nobleman, whom no one had ever seen, but who sent such generous gifts to his Majesty.
By and by Puss decided that it was time for his master to be introduced at court. He learned that on a certain day the king and his daughter, who was the most beautiful princess in the world, were to go out in their coach to drive along the riverside, and he said to his master: “If you will follow my advice your fortune is made. Go and wash yourself in the river at a spot which I will show you, and leave the rest to me.”
The young man knew nothing of the why or wherefore of the cat’s advice, but he went to the river, and the cat took charge of his clothes while he plunged into the water. He did not enjoy the experience, for the water was cold, and he soon stopped splashing around and stood shivering with the water up to his neck, wondering what was to happen next. Just then the king’s carriage appeared in sight, and Puss at once began to shout: “Help! help! My lord, the Marquis of Carabas is drowning!”
The king put his head out of the coach window, and he recognized Puss as the cat who had so often brought him presents of game. Immediately he ordered his attendants to go to the assistance of the marquis. While they were pulling the youth out of the river the cat came up to the coach and told the king that some rogues had gone off with his master’s clothes, though in fact the cunning cat had hidden them under a big stone.
On hearing this story the king dispatched one of his grooms to fetch a handsome suit of purple and gold from the royal wardrobe. When the young man had been arrayed in this he looked so well that no one for a moment supposed but that he was some noble foreign lord. The king and his daughter were so pleased with his appearance that they invited him into their carriage. At first he felt a little shy about sitting next to a princess, but she smiled at him so sweetly, and was so kind and gentle that he soon forgot his fears. As for her, after he had cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances in her direction, she fell in love with him to distraction.
When the cat had seen his master seated in the royal carriage, he was overjoyed to think how well his project was succeeding. He ran on ahead as fast as he could trot until he came to a field of grain where the laborers were busy reaping. “Reapers,” said he fiercely, “the king will soon pass this way. If he should ask you to whom this field belongs, remember that you are to say, ‘To the Marquis of Carabas.’ Don’t dare to disobey me, or I will have you all chopped up as fine as mincemeat.”
The reapers were so afraid the cat would do as he threatened that they promised to obey. Puss then ran on and told all the other laborers whom he met to give the same answer, and declared they would be terribly punished if they did not.
The king was in a very good humor, for the day was fine, and he found the marquis a very pleasant companion. So he told the coachman to drive slowly, that he might admire the beautiful country. “What a fine field of wheat!” he said presently, and he had the coach stop while he asked the laborers to whom it belonged.
Then the men answered in accord with the cat’s orders, “To our lord, the Marquis of Carabas.”
“Sir,” said the marquis, “this is a field that never fails to yield plentifully every year.”
The coach went on until it encountered a herd of cattle. “To whom do these cattle belong?” the king asked the drovers.
“To the Marquis of Carabas,” they replied.
It was the same all along the way. The king’s inquiries as to the ownership of property received this uniform reply. The marquis listened with the greatest astonishment, and thought what a wonderful cat Puss was; and the king was delighted to find that his new friend was as wealthy as he was charming.
Meanwhile Puss, who was well in advance of the royal party, had arrived at a stately castle which belonged to a cruel ogre, the richest ever known. Indeed, he was the owner of all the land and crops and cattle the king had admired so much. The cat knocked at the door, and asked to see the ogre, who received him quite civilly. He had never before seen a cat in boots, and the sight amused him. So he and Puss were soon chatting together.
“I have been assured,” said the cat, “that you possess the power to change yourself into any kind of animal you choose—a lion or an elephant, for instance.”
“Well, so I can,” responded the ogre briskly.
“Dear me!” said Puss, “how much I should like to see you do it now.”
The ogre was only too glad to have a chance to show how clever he was, so he agreed to transform himself into any animal Puss might mention.
“Oh! I will leave the choice to you,” said the cat politely.
Immediately there appeared, where the ogre had been seated, an enormous lion, roaring, and lashing with his tail, and looking as though he meant to gobble up the cat in a trice. Puss was really very much frightened, and he jumped out of the window and managed to scramble up on the roof, though not without abundance of trouble and danger because of his boots. There he clung, refusing to come down until the ogre resumed his natural form and laughingly called to him that he would do him no harm.
Then Puss ventured back into the room and began to compliment the ogre on his cleverness. “Of course,” said he in conclusion, “what you did was very marvellous, but it would be more surprising still if you who are so big and fierce could transform yourself into some timid little creature such as a mouse. That, I suppose, would be impossible.”
“Not at all,” said the ogre. “One is quite as easy to me as the other, as I will show you.”
A moment later the ogre had vanished, and a little brown mouse was frisking about the floor. “Now or never,” said Puss, and with a sudden leap he seized the mouse and gobbled it up as fast as he could. Instantly all the gentlemen and ladies whom the wicked ogre had held in his castle under a spell were disenchanted, and they came to express their gratitude to their deliverer. They were ready to do anything to please him, and at his request they agreed to enter into the service of the Marquis of Carabas.
Now the cat had a splendid castle with much treasure stored in its vaults, and he ordered a magnificent feast to be prepared. Then he hurried forth to the highway and met the king’s coach. His Majesty was looking toward the ogre’s castle. “Whose is it?” he asked. “I have never seen a finer.”
“It belongs to the noble Marquis of Carabas,” said Puss, “and I beg you to honor my master by being his guest.”
The king ordered the coachman to drive to the castle, and Puss went on ahead and threw open the gates. As the carriage was crossing the drawbridge he cried out, “Welcome to the castle of my lord, the Marquis of Carabas!”
Full of surprise, the king turned to the marquis and said, “Not even my own palace can surpass the beauty of your castle.”
Puss helped his Majesty to alight and conducted him into a spacious hall, where a group of gentlemen and ladies were waiting to receive them. The marquis came into the hall with the princess, and they all sat down to a splendid banquet. Long and merrily they feasted, and when at length the guests rose to depart, the king embraced the marquis and said: “I am charmed with your many excellent qualities, and am greatly impressed with the castle which is your home, and with the magnificence of your hospitality. It will be your own fault, my Lord Marquis, if you are not my son-in-law.”
The marquis made several low bows, and thanked his Majesty for the honor he conferred on him. Not long afterward the miller’s son married the princess, and there were rejoicings throughout the land. On the evening of the wedding day a great ball was given, to which princes and noblemen from near and far were invited. Puss opened the ball, wearing for the occasion a pair of boots made of the finest leather with gold tassels and scarlet heels. I wish you could have seen him.
When the old king died, the princess and her husband reigned in his stead. Their most honored and faithful friend at court was Puss in Boots, for his master never forgot to whom he owed all his good fortune. Puss lived on the daintiest meat and the most delicious cream, and was petted and made much of all the days of his life; and he never ran after rats and mice except for exercise and amusement.
