Once upon a time there was a miller who had three sons. When he was
dying he left each of them a legacy. To his eldest son he left his
mill; to his second his ass; and to his youngest his cat. The poor
boy was very sad when he found that he had nothing belonging to him
but a cat; but, to his great surprise, puss jumped on the table and
said in a friendly manner: "Do not be sad, my dear master, only buy
me a pair of boots and a bag and I'll provide for you and myself." So
the miller's son, who had a shilling or two in his pocket, bought a
smart little pair of boots and a bag, and gave them to puss, who put
some bran and sow-thistles into his bag, opened the mouth of it, and
lay down in a rabbit warren. A foolish young rabbit jumped into it;
puss drew the string and soon killed it. He went immediately to the
palace with it. He found the king and queen sitting on the throne,
and, bowing low, he laid the rabbit at the king's feet, saying:
"Please, your majesty, my master, the Marquis de Carabas, has sent
you a rabbit from his warren, as a mark of respect." "I am much
obliged to the Marquis," said the king, and he ordered the rabbit to
be taken to the cook, and a piece of money to be given to the cat.
During two or three months the cat continued to carry game every now
and then to the king, which was supposed to be the produce of his
master's sport. One day when he happened to hear the king was going
to take a drive on the banks of the river, in company with his
daughter, who was the most beautiful princess in the world, puss
desired the master to go and bathe in the river at the spot that he
should point out, and leave the rest to him. The Marquis of Carabas
did as his cat advised him. Just as he was bathing the king came
past, when the cat bawled out as loud as he could--"Help! help! or
the Marquis of Carabas will be drowned!" On hearing this, the king
looked out of the carriage window, and recognising the cat, ordered
his bodyguards to fly to the assistance of my Lord Marquis of
Carabas. As the poor Marquis was being fished out of the river, the
cat informed his majesty that, while his master was bathing, some
robbers had stolen his clothes. The king immediately ordered the
gentlemen of his wardrobe to fetch one of his most sumptuous dresses.
No sooner had this been done and the Marquis suitably attired, then
he looked to such advantage that the king took him to be a very fine
gentleman; while the princess was so struck with his appearance, that
at once she became head and ears in love with him.
The king insisted that the Marquis should get into the carriage. The
cat, highly delighted at the turn thinks were taking, now ran on
before, and having reached a meadow where there were some peasants,
he thus accosted them; "I say, good folks, if you do not tell the
king that this field belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all
be chopped as fine as mince-meat." The king did not fail to inquire
of the peasants to whom the meadow belonged? "To the Marquis of
Carabas, please your majesty," said they in a breath.
And the cat kept running on before the carriage, and repeating the
same instructions to all the labourers he met with, so that the king
was astonished at the vast possessions of the Marquis of Carabas.
At length the cat reached a magnificent castle belonging to a giant
who was immensely rich. The cat having inquired what sort of person
the giant might be, and what he was able to do, sent in a message to
request leave to speak with him.
The giant received him civilly. "I have been told," said the cat,
"that you have the power of transforming yourself into all sorts of
animals." "So I have," replied the giant, "and to prove the truth of
what I say you shall see me become a lion." When the cat beheld a
lion standing before him, and saw the monster quietly light his pipe,
he was seized with such a panic that he clambered up to the roof.
After a time, the cat perceiving that the giant had returned to his
natural shape, came down again.
"And do you possess the power of assuming the shape of the smallest
animals likewise?" "You shall see;" and the giant immediately assumed
the shape of a mouse, when the cat pounced upon him and ate him up.
By this time the king had reached the gates of the Giant's
magnificent castle, and expressed a wish to enter so splendid a
building. The cat ran out to meet the king, saying--"Your majesty is
welcome to the Marquis of Carabas's castle."
The king was so delighted with the Marquis of Carabas, that he
accepted him as a son-in-law, and that very same day he was married
to the princess.
The cat became a great lord, and ever after hunted mice only for his
own amusement.
[Illustration: Two Cats, a Scale and a Monkey.]