|There was once an old miller, and when he died he left nothing to his
three sons except his mill, an ass, and a cat. The eldest son took the
mill, the second son took the ass, and so the cat fell to the youngest.
This poor fellow looked very sober, and said:--
“What am I to do? My brothers can take care of themselves with a mill
and an ass. But I can only eat the cat and sell his skin. Then what will
be left? I shall die of hunger.” The cat heard these words and looked up
at his master.
“Do not be troubled,” he said. “Give me a bag and get me a pair of
boots, and I will soon show you what I can do.”
The young man did not see what the cat could do, but he knew he could do
many strange things. He had seen him hang stiff by his hind legs as if
he were dead. He had seen him hide himself in the meal tub. Oh, the cat
was a wise one! Besides, what else was there for the young man to do?
So he got a bag and a pair of boots for the cat. Puss drew on the boots
and hung the bag about his neck. Then he took hold of the two strings of
the bag with his fore paws and set off for a place where there were some
rabbits.
He filled his bag with bran and left the mouth of the bag open. Then
he lay down, shut his eyes, and seemed to be sound asleep. Soon a young
rabbit smelled the bran and saw the open bag. He went headlong into it,
and at once the cat drew the strings and caught the rabbit.
Puss now went to the palace, and asked to speak to the king. So he was
brought before the king. He made a low bow and said:--
“Sire, this is a rabbit which my master bade me bring to you.”
“And who is your master?”
“He is the Marquis of Carabas,” said the cat. This was a title which
Puss took it into his head to give to his master.
“Tell your master that I accept his gift,” said the king, and Puss
went off in his boots. In a few days he hid himself with his bag in a
cornfield. This time he caught two partridges, and carried them to the
king. The king sent his thanks to the Marquis of Carabas, and made a
present to Puss.
So things went on for some time. Every week Puss brought some game to
the king, and the king began to think the Marquis of Carabas a famous
hunter. Now it chanced that the king and his daughter were about to take
a drive along the banks of a river. Puss heard of it and went to his
master.
“Master,” said he, “do just as I tell you, and your fortune will be
made. You need only go and bathe in the river, and leave the rest to
me.”
“Very well,” said his master. He did as the cat told him, but he did
not know what it all meant. While he was in the river, the king and the
princess drove by. Puss jumped out of the bushes and began to bawl:--
“Help! help! the Marquis of Carabas is drowning! save him!” The king
heard and looked out of his carriage. There he saw the cat that had
brought him so much game, and he bade his men run to help the Marquis.
When he was out of the river, Puss came forward, and told what had
happened.
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“My master was bathing, and some robbers came and stole his clothes.
I ran after them and cried, ‘Stop, thief!’ but they got away. Then my
master was carried beyond his depth, and would have drowned, if you had
not come by with your men.”
At this the king bade one of his servants ride back and bring a fine
suit of clothes for the Marquis, and they all waited. So, at last, the
Marquis of Carabas came up to the carriage, dressed much more finely
than he ever had been in his life. He was a handsome fellow, and he
looked so well that the king at once bade him enter the carriage.