Puss now had things quite to his mind. He ran on before, and came to a
meadow, where some men were mowing grass. He stopped before them, and
said:--
“The king is coming this way. You must tell him that this field belongs
to the Marquis of Carabas, or you shall all be chopped as fine as
mince-meat.”
“When the carriage came by, the king put his head out, and said to the
men:--
“This is good grass land. Who owns it?”
“The Marquis of Carabas,” they all said, for Puss had thrown them into a
great fright.
“You have a fine estate, Marquis,” said the king.
“Yes, Sire,” he replied, tossing his head; “it pays me well.” Puss still
ran before the carriage, and came soon to some reapers.
“Tell the king,” he cried, “that all this grain belongs to the Marquis
of Carabas, or you shall all be chopped as fine as mince-meat.” The
king now came by, and asked the reapers who owned the grain they were
cutting.
[Illustration: 0039]
“The Marquis of Carabas,” they said. So it Went on. Puss bade the men in
the fields call the Marquis of Carabas their lord, or it would go hard
with them. The king was amazed. The Marquis took it all with a grand
air. It was easy to see that he was a very rich and great man. The
princess sat in the corner of the carriage, and thought the Marquis no
mean fellow.
At last they drew near the castle of the one who really owned all the
fields they had passed through. Puss asked about him, and found he was a
monster who made every one about him very much afraid. Puss sent in word
that he should like to pay his respects, and the monster bade him come
in.
“I have been told,” said Puss, “that you can change yourself into any
kind of animal. They say you can even make yourself a lion.”
“To be sure I can,” said the monster. “Do you not believe it? Look, and
you shall see me become a lion at once.” When Puss saw a lion before
him he was in a great fright, and got as far away as he could. There he
stayed till the lion became a monster again.
“That was dreadful!” said Puss. “I was nearly dead with fear. But it
must be much harder to make yourself small. They do say that you can
turn into a mouse, but I do not believe it.”
“Not believe it!” cried the monster. “You shall see!” So he made himself
at once into a mouse, and began running over the floor. In a twinkling
Puss pounced upon him and gave him one shake. That was the end of the
monster.
By this time the king had reached the gates of the castle, and thought
he would like to see so fine a place. Puss heard the wheels, and ran
down just as the king drove up to the door.
“Welcome!” he said, as he stood on the steps of the castle. “Welcome to
the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!”
“What! my lord Marquis,” said the king, “does this castle, too, belong
to you? I never saw anything so fine. I should really like to enter.”
“Your majesty is welcome!” said the young man, bowing low, taking off
the cap which the king had given him. Then he gave his hand to the
princess, and they went up the steps. Puss danced before them in his
boots.
They came into a great hall, and there they found a feast spread. The
monster had asked some friends to dine with him that day, but the news
went about that the king was at the castle, and so they dared not go.
The king was amazed at all he saw, and the princess went behind him,
just as much pleased. The Marquis of Carabas said little. He held his
head high and played with his sword.