PUSS IN BOOTS

On a high hill where the wind blew strong, there lived a miller, his three sons, a donkey, and a cat. All lived in an old grist mill, where they worked grinding grain for the villagers. When the old miller died, he left to each boy something of value: to his oldest, the mill; to the second, the donkey; and to the third, the cat.

The first son was quite happy with his inheritance, and the second son was not unhappy. After all, he could ride the donkey and set out on an adventure. The third son liked the cat well enough, but felt somehow he had been cheated. After all, he’d loved his father and worked as hard as his brothers, so he was not pleased with the cat, and he told the cat just that!

The cat remembered how the boy had once saved him from a pack of wild dogs.

“So,” the cat said, “do as I tell you and, just as you once helped me, I will help you.”

The miller’s son was surprised to hear the cat speak, but thought, If this cat can talk, I guess I should listen.

“Long Whiskers,” he said, “tell me what to do, and I will do it.”

“First thing,” said the cat, “we must go to the boot-maker and have him make me some fine leather boots. And I will need a good hat with a feather.”

Properly attired, Puss in Boots said, “Now we must go to your brother’s mill and get a sack and a few scoops of grain.”

So off they went, the cat boldly strutting along in his new boots and hat.

The king who ruled at that time very much enjoyed rabbit dinners, but just then rabbits were in short supply, so the king had none, and this made him sad. Puss in Boots, however, knew of a spot in the brambly woods where fat rabbits lived! He laid out the sack with a bit of grain spilling out, tied a string to the sack, and waited, well hidden.

Before long, three rabbits came bounding along and took the bait. Clever Puss yanked the string and cinched the sack shut around the rabbits, slung the sack over his shoulders, and walked jauntily down the valley to the king’s castle.

“Stop! Where are you going?” yelled a guard.

“To see the king,” the cat replied.

As Puss in Boots had such a smart appearance and brought rabbits for the king, he was shown to the king’s chamber. “Your majesty,” he said with a low bow. “My master, the Marquis of Carabas, has commanded me to present these fine rabbits to you.”

The king was overjoyed.

From that day on, once or twice a week, the cat would bring the king fresh game for his table, compliments of the Marquis of Carabas. And with each visit he told the king a tall tale of the marquis’s many adventures. Of course, the marquis was in truth the miller’s son! And while the tales greatly amused the king, every one of them was made up by clever Puss in Boots.

 

One fine day when the cat knew the king was going to take a carriage ride with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, Puss in Boots said to his master, “Your fortunes are about to change. Quickly, go to the bend in the river and take a bath.”

The false Marquis of Carabas did as he was told without knowing why, only knowing the cat had been right so far. As the marquis splashed about in the middle of the stream, the king and his daughter drove by and Puss in Boots cried out, “Help, help, my lord, the Marquis of Carabas, is drowning!”

Seeing the cat who had brought him fresh rabbits, the king shouted to his guards, “Save the marquis!” As the guards waded in to save him, Puss in Boots again spun a tale to the king: rogues had attacked the marquis while he bathed in the river and run off with his fine clothes!

The king ordered his fastest guard to race to the castle and bring back one of the king’s own suits. With that done, the Marquis of Carabas was now dressed handsomely, appearing every bit the fine gentleman the king believed him to be. Naturally, the king asked him to ride along. So, with a wink from the cat, the marquis clambered into the king’s coach.

Now, as young people sometimes do, the handsome Marquis of Carabas and the king’s beautiful daughter found each other to be most appealing, and soon they had fallen in love. Pleased his plan was working so well, the cat ran on ahead of the king’s coach, where he soon found country folk mowing the fields.

“Good country folk,” he cried. “The king is coming down this road! When he asks who owns these lush fields, tell him the Marquis of Carabas. The fate of young love depends on your answer!”

The farmers thought it a good prank, and when the king drove by, just as Puss had predicted, the king called out, “Who owns this fine land?”

All answered, “For as far as the eye can see, the land is owned by the Marquis of Carabas.”

All along the king’s path Puss ran, keeping just ahead of the king, asking everyone he saw—plump milkmaids, singing goatherds—to recite the same story, and they all did. The king was growing very impressed by the Marquis of Carabas!

In a bucolic glen, Puss in Boots came to a handsome castle, owned by a very rich and clever ogre. In fact, this ogre was the true owner of the lands that the king now traveled.

The crafty Puss knew this ogre and his tricks. So, when he was shown in to see him, the cat gave a deep bow. “Monsieur,” he said, “your reputation as a great sorcerer has traveled far, and as I was traveling through your country, I could not help but stop and pay my respects to you and show my profound appreciation for your great talents.”

The ogre blushed a little.

Puss continued, “I have been told that you can even change yourself into different creatures, large creatures, such as, lions, bears, and the like! Is this true?”

 

“Yes, it is all true,” replied the ogre smugly. “And to convince you, my good cat, I shall become a lion!” And he turned into a lion, frightening Puss in Boots up onto the mantel! The ogre resumed his natural appearance, and the cat climbed down.

“Oh, Monsieur Ogre, that was most amazing!” said Puss. “I have also been informed that you can turn yourself into the smallest of creatures, such as a mouse or rat. But after seeing you become a lion, I don’t believe this is possible.” With a smirk, the ogre turned himself into a mouse and began to scurry about the place, but when he scurried too close to the cat, Puss in Boots pounced and gobbled the mouse up! No sooner had he accomplished this than he heard the sound of the king’s coach trundling over the castle bridge.

 

The cat ran to the courtyard and greeted the king’s coach. With a sweep of his hat he said, “Welcome, Majesty, to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas.”

“Good heavens,” cried the king. “The Marquis of Carabas’s castle is as fine as his lands are rich!”

And with that the false Marquis of Carabas and his cat escorted the king, his daughter, and their entourage into the castle, where a spectacular banquet was soon laid before them. And when the dancing and dining were over, the king said, “Now all I could possibly wish for is that the marquis would marry my daughter, the princess.”

Well, this was happy news to both the marquis and the princess, and just at sunset the next day, the young couple exchanged their wedding vows, destined to live happily ever after. As for our Lord Puss in Boots, as he is now known, he settled into his life at the castle serving his friend and master, the Marquis of Carabas, and only chasing rats and mice for the fun of it.