Once upon a time there was a miller who had three sons. When he died he
left his mill to the eldest son, his ass to the second son, and his cat
to the youngest, who had always been his favourite.
The two eldest sons resolved to live together; but they would not let
their brother live with them, because he had only a cat. So the poor lad
was very sorrowful, and wondered what he should do to get his bread.
While he was sitting thinking about it, Puss jumped up on the table, and
touched him with her paw.
[Illustration: PUSS CONSOLING THE MILLER'S SON.]
"My dear master," she said, "do not fret. I will get your living for
you. Only you must buy me a pair of boots and give me a bag."
[Illustration: PUSS CATCHING THE RABBITS.]
The miller's son had very little money, but he thought it such a
wonderful thing to hear a cat talk that he could not refuse her request.
So he took Puss to the shoemaker's, and got him to make her a very smart
pair of boots, and then he gave her a nice large bag.
_THE RABBIT WARREN._
Now, not far from the mill there was a rabbit warren, and Puss resolved
to catch some rabbits for dinner. So she put some lettuce leaves and
fine parsley into her bag, went into the warren, and held the bag very
quietly open, hiding herself behind it. And little greedy rabbits, who
knew no better, ran into it, to have a feast. Directly they were safe
in, Puss pulled the string of the bag, and carried them off to her
master. The miller's son killed them, and cooked one for dinner; but
Puss took away the other, which was a very fine one, and hung it up for
their next day's meal.
But although their larder was thus provided, early the next day Puss
took her bag and went again into the warren, and in the same manner
caught two more fine young rabbits. But instead of carrying them home
she walked to the king's palace and knocked at the door.
_PUSS AT THE PALACE._
The king's porter asked who was there. "I have brought a present to the
king," said Puss. "Please let me see his majesty."
The porter let her in, and when Puss came into the king's presence she
made a low bow, and, taking a fine rabbit out of her bag, said, "My Lord
Marquis of Carrabas sends this rabbit to your majesty with his
respects."
[Illustration: PUSS MAKES A PRESENT TO THE KING.]
"I am much obliged to the marquis," said the king, and he ordered his
head cook to dress the rabbit for dinner.
[Illustration: PUSS CALLS ON THE OGRE.]
By the king's side sat his daughter, a very beautiful lady. She ordered
one of the attendants to give Puss a good cup of cream, which she
liked very much; and she went home and told her master all she had done.
The miller's son laughed; but every morning Puss caught a rabbit, and
carried it to the palace with the same message.
_THE OGRE._
Now, in that country there lived a cruel ogre, who used to eat children,
so everybody was afraid of him; but nobody could kill him, he was such a
giant. One day Puss went to call on him. He received her civilly, for he
did not care to eat cats, so Puss sat down, and began to talk:--"I
hear," she said, "great Ogre, that you are so clever, that you can turn
yourself into any creature you please."
"Yes, so I can," said the ogre.
"Dear me," said Puss, "how much I should like to see your ogreship do
it."
Then the ogre, who liked to show how clever he was, turned himself into
a lion, and roared so loudly that Puss was quite frightened, and jumped
out of the way. Then he changed back into an ogre again. Puss praised
him a great deal, and then said, "Can your ogreship become a small
animal as well as a large one?"
"Oh, yes," said the vain ogre; and he changed himself into a little
mouse. Directly Puss saw him in this form she jumped at him and killed
him on the spot.
_THE MARQUIS OF CARRABAS._
Then Puss ran home and bade her master go and bathe in the river, and he
should see what she would do for him. The miller's son obeyed; and while
he was in the water, Puss took away all his clothes, and hid them under
a large stone. Now, the king's carriage came in sight soon after, just
as Puss had expected, for he always drove in that direction, and
directly she saw it, she began to cry very loudly, "Help, help, for
my Lord the Marquis of Carrabas." The king put his head out, and asked
what was the matter.
[Illustration: PUSS ASKS HELP FOR HIS MASTER.]
"Oh, your majesty," said Puss, "my master the marquis was bathing, and
some one has taken away his clothes. He will catch the cramp and be
drowned."
[Illustration: PUSS THREATENS THE REAPERS.]
Then the king ordered one of his attendants to ride back to the palace
and get a suit of his own clothes for the marquis, "who had so often
sent him gifts," he said. And when they were brought, Puss took them to
her master, and helped him to dress in them.
_PUSS FRIGHTENS THE REAPERS._
The miller's son looked quite like a gentleman in the king's clothes,
and when he went to thank his majesty for them, the king asked him to
get into the coach and he would drive him home. Then Puss told the
coachman where to go, and ran on before and came to some reapers.
"Reapers," said she, "if the king asks you whose field this is, say it
belongs to the Marquis of Carrabas; if you don't say so, you shall be
chopped up as small as mincemeat."
The reapers were so frightened that they promised to obey her. And she
ran on and told all the other labourers on the road to say the same. So
when the king asked, "To whom do these fine fields belong?" the reapers
answered, "To the Marquis of Carrabas." The herdsmen said the same of
the cattle, and the king, turning to the miller's son, said, "My lord,
you have a fine property." But all had belonged really to the ogre, for
it was to his castle the cunning cat had told the coachman to drive.
_THE CASTLE._
At last the coach stopped at the Ogre's castle, and Puss came out, and
bowing very low, said, "Your majesty and the princess are welcome to
the castle of my Lord Marquis of Carrabas."
[Illustration: THE KING AND PRINCESS VISIT THE MARQUIS.]
The king was delighted, for it was indeed a very nice castle, full of
riches. They sat down to a great feast, which Puss ordered to be served,
and the king was so pleased with the miller's son and thought him such a
good match for the princess, that he invited him to court, and in a
little while gave him his daughter for his wife, and made him a prince.
[Illustration: MARRIAGE OF THE MARQUIS AND PRINCESS.]
You may be quite sure that the miller's son was very grateful to Puss
for his good fortune, and she never had to catch mice for her dinner any
more, for dainty meat and the best cream were every day given to Puss in
Boots.