Immediately the creature jumped on his shoulder, rubbed gently against
his cheek, and began to speak. “Dear master,” said he, “do not grieve. I
am not as useless as you think. Give me a bag, and buy me a pair of
boots so I can scamper through the brush and brambles, and I will make
your fortune for you.”
[Illustration:
PUSS IN BOOTS GREETS THE KING
]
The lad had very little money to spare, but he knew Puss was a faithful
creature, and he had seen him play many cunning tricks to catch rats and
mice, so that he did not altogether despair of his affording him some
help. Therefore he bought him a smart pair of boots made of buff-colored
leather, and gave him the bag for which he had asked.
Puss drew on the boots, and then he fitted slip-strings around the mouth
of the bag, put some bran and parsley inside, and trotted off with it to
a neighboring hillside where there was an abundance of rabbits. He laid
the bag on the ground with the mouth of it propped open, and hid himself
in the ferns and bushes and waited. Presently two foolish young rabbits
came sniffing about and crept into the bag to get some of the bran and
parsley. The clever cat at once drew the slip-strings close, and the
rabbits were caught. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and away he
went to the royal palace, where he asked to speak with the king. The
guards ushered him into the king’s presence, and Puss made a low bow,
lifted the rabbits out of his bag, and said, “Sir, my noble lord, the
Marquis of Carabas” (this was the title he chose to confer on his
master) “has commanded me to present these rabbits to your Majesty, with
his respects.”
“Tell your master that I thank him,” said the king, “and that he has
given me great pleasure.”
Then he dismissed Puss with many compliments and a purse of gold, and
ordered his head cook to serve the rabbits for dinner so he and his
daughter might enjoy them.
The next day Puss went and hid in a grain field with the bag baited and
open near his hiding-place. A brace of partridges ran into it, and he
drew the strings and caught them. These he took home to his master, and
he went hunting every pleasant day. He kept his master so well supplied
with game that they lived in plenty, and often he carried some game to
the king. Whatever it was that he presented at the palace, it was always
with the message, “From my lord, the Marquis of Carabas.” So every one
at court was talking of this strange nobleman, whom no one had ever
seen, but who sent such generous gifts to his Majesty.
By and by Puss decided that it was time for his master to be introduced
at court. He learned that on a certain day the king and his daughter,
who was the most beautiful princess in the world, were to go out in
their coach to drive along the riverside, and he said to his master: “If
you will follow my advice your fortune is made. Go and wash yourself in
the river at a spot which I will show you, and leave the rest to me.”
The young man knew nothing of the why or wherefore of the cat’s advice,
but he went to the river, and the cat took charge of his clothes while
he plunged into the water. He did not enjoy the experience, for the
water was cold, and he soon stopped splashing around and stood shivering
with the water up to his neck, wondering what was to happen next. Just
then the king’s carriage appeared in sight, and Puss at once began to
shout: “Help! help! My lord, the Marquis of Carabas is drowning!”
The king put his head out of the coach window, and he recognized Puss as
the cat who had so often brought him presents of game. Immediately he
ordered his attendants to go to the assistance of the marquis. While
they were pulling the youth out of the river the cat came up to the
coach and told the king that some rogues had gone off with his master’s
clothes, though in fact the cunning cat had hidden them under a big
stone.
On hearing this story the king dispatched one of his grooms to fetch a
handsome suit of purple and gold from the royal wardrobe. When the young
man had been arrayed in this he looked so well that no one for a moment
supposed but that he was some noble foreign lord. The king and his
daughter were so pleased with his appearance that they invited him into
their carriage. At first he felt a little shy about sitting next to a
princess, but she smiled at him so sweetly, and was so kind and gentle
that he soon forgot his fears. As for her, after he had cast two or
three respectful and somewhat tender glances in her direction, she fell
in love with him to distraction.
When the cat had seen his master seated in the royal carriage, he was
overjoyed to think how well his project was succeeding. He ran on ahead
as fast as he could trot until he came to a field of grain where the
laborers were busy reaping. “Reapers,” said he fiercely, “the king will
soon pass this way. If he should ask you to whom this field belongs,
remember that you are to say, ‘To the Marquis of Carabas.’ Don’t dare to
disobey me, or I will have you all chopped up as fine as mincemeat.”
The reapers were so afraid the cat would do as he threatened that they
promised to obey. Puss then ran on and told all the other laborers whom
he met to give the same answer, and declared they would be terribly
punished if they did not.
The king was in a very good humor, for the day was fine, and he found
the marquis a very pleasant companion. So he told the coachman to drive
slowly, that he might admire the beautiful country. “What a fine field
of wheat!” he said presently, and he had the coach stop while he asked
the laborers to whom it belonged.
Then the men answered in accord with the cat’s orders, “To our lord, the
Marquis of Carabas.”
“Sir,” said the marquis, “this is a field that never fails to yield
plentifully every year.”
The coach went on until it encountered a herd of cattle. “To whom do
these cattle belong?” the king asked the drovers.
“To the Marquis of Carabas,” they replied.
It was the same all along the way. The king’s inquiries as to the
ownership of property received this uniform reply. The marquis listened
with the greatest astonishment, and thought what a wonderful cat Puss
was; and the king was delighted to find that his new friend was as
wealthy as he was charming.
Meanwhile Puss, who was well in advance of the royal party, had arrived
at a stately castle which belonged to a cruel ogre, the richest ever
known. Indeed, he was the owner of all the land and crops and cattle the
king had admired so much. The cat knocked at the door, and asked to see
the ogre, who received him quite civilly. He had never before seen a cat
in boots, and the sight amused him. So he and Puss were soon chatting
together.
[Illustration]
“I have been assured,” said the cat, “that you possess the power to
change yourself into any kind of animal you choose—a lion or an
elephant, for instance.”
“Well, so I can,” responded the ogre briskly.
“Dear me!” said Puss, “how much I should like to see you do it now.”
The ogre was only too glad to have a chance to show how clever he was,
so he agreed to transform himself into any animal Puss might mention.
“Oh! I will leave the choice to you,” said the cat politely.
Immediately there appeared, where the ogre had been seated, an enormous
lion, roaring, and lashing with his tail, and looking as though he meant
to gobble up the cat in a trice. Puss was really very much frightened,
and he jumped out of the window and managed to scramble up on the roof,
though not without abundance of trouble and danger because of his boots.
There he clung, refusing to come down until the ogre resumed his natural
form and laughingly called to him that he would do him no harm.
Then Puss ventured back into the room and began to compliment the ogre
on his cleverness. “Of course,” said he in conclusion, “what you did was
very marvellous, but it would be more surprising still if you who are so
big and fierce could transform yourself into some timid little creature
such as a mouse. That, I suppose, would be impossible.”
“Not at all,” said the ogre. “One is quite as easy to me as the other,
as I will show you.”
A moment later the ogre had vanished, and a little brown mouse was
frisking about the floor. “Now or never,” said Puss, and with a sudden
leap he seized the mouse and gobbled it up as fast as he could.
Instantly all the gentlemen and ladies whom the wicked ogre had held in
his castle under a spell were disenchanted, and they came to express
their gratitude to their deliverer. They were ready to do anything to
please him, and at his request they agreed to enter into the service of
the Marquis of Carabas.
Now the cat had a splendid castle with much treasure stored in its
vaults, and he ordered a magnificent feast to be prepared. Then he
hurried forth to the highway and met the king’s coach. His Majesty was
looking toward the ogre’s castle. “Whose is it?” he asked. “I have never
seen a finer.”
“It belongs to the noble Marquis of Carabas,” said Puss, “and I beg you
to honor my master by being his guest.”
The king ordered the coachman to drive to the castle, and Puss went on
ahead and threw open the gates. As the carriage was crossing the
drawbridge he cried out, “Welcome to the castle of my lord, the Marquis
of Carabas!”
Full of surprise, the king turned to the marquis and said, “Not even my
own palace can surpass the beauty of your castle.”
Puss helped his Majesty to alight and conducted him into a spacious
hall, where a group of gentlemen and ladies were waiting to receive
them. The marquis came into the hall with the princess, and they all sat
down to a splendid banquet. Long and merrily they feasted, and when at
length the guests rose to depart, the king embraced the marquis and
said: “I am charmed with your many excellent qualities, and am greatly
impressed with the castle which is your home, and with the magnificence
of your hospitality. It will be your own fault, my Lord Marquis, if you
are not my son-in-law.”
The marquis made several low bows, and thanked his Majesty for the honor
he conferred on him. Not long afterward the miller’s son married the
princess, and there were rejoicings throughout the land. On the evening
of the wedding day a great ball was given, to which princes and noblemen
from near and far were invited. Puss opened the ball, wearing for the
occasion a pair of boots made of the finest leather with gold tassels
and scarlet heels. I wish you could have seen him.
When the old king died, the princess and her husband reigned in his
stead. Their most honored and faithful friend at court was Puss in
Boots, for his master never forgot to whom he owed all his good fortune.
Puss lived on the daintiest meat and the most delicious cream, and was
petted and made much of all the days of his life; and he never ran after
rats and mice except for exercise and amusement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MASTER AND HIS PUPIL
THERE was once a very learned man who knew all the languages under the
sun, and who was acquainted with all the mysteries of creation. He had
in his private room a big book bound in black leather and fitted with
iron clasps, and it was chained to a table which was screwed fast to the
floor. When he wanted to read in the book he unlocked the clasps with a
brass key, and he never allowed any one else to read in it, for it
contained many magician’s secrets. Among other things it told the names
of the demons, and what they did, and how they could be summoned and
made to work for man.
[Illustration]
A young lad lived with the magician and served him, but though he worked
for the great master he was an ignorant youth who was scarcely allowed
so much as to enter the learned man’s private room. But one day, when
his master was absent, he went in there, and satisfied his curiosity by
looking around to his heart’s content. Here was the wondrous apparatus
for changing copper into gold, and lead into silver; and the mirror in
which could be seen all that was passing in the world; and the shell
which, when held to the ear, enabled one to hear any words being spoken
by whatever person one desired to know about.
The lad tried in vain with the crucibles to turn copper into gold and
lead into silver. Next he gazed long and vainly into the mirror, but
clouds and smoke passed over the scenes within, and he could discern
nothing clearly. Then he put the shell to his ear. That too disappointed
him, for he could hear only indistinct murmurings like the breaking of
waves on a distant shore.
“I can do nothing,” he said, “because I do not know the right words to
utter and make things go right. The words I need are locked from sight
in yonder book.”
Just then he noticed with surprise that the book lay open. The master
had forgotten to lock it, and the lad ran eagerly to look at its
secret-revealing pages. Some of the words were in black ink and some in
red, and they seemed to be in a strange language. He could not see a
single one that appeared familiar, and he sat down and put his finger on
a line and spelled it through.
At once the room was darkened, and the house trembled, and there was a
startling clap of thunder. Then the lad saw standing before him a
horrible winged creature, breathing fire, and with eyes like burning
lamps. It was the demon Beelzebub whom he had called up to serve him.
“Set me a task!” cried the demon with a voice like the roaring of an
iron furnace.
The boy shivered with fright, and his hair stood on end. He knew not
what to do or say.
“Set me a task or I shall strangle you,” said the demon.
But the lad could not find voice to speak. The evil spirit stepped
toward him and reached out his hands toward the boy’s throat. The youth
shrank from the demon’s burning touch, while again the command was
dinned in his ears. “Set me a task!”
“Water yon flower,” said the boy in despair, pointing to a geranium
which stood in a pot on the floor.
Instantly the demon left the room, but a moment later he returned with a
barrel on his back and poured its contents over the flower. Again and
again he went and came, and poured more and more water until the floor
of the room was ankle-deep.
“Enough, enough!” gasped the lad.
But the demon heeded him not. The boy did not know the words that must
be spoken in order to send the demon away, and the evil spirit continued
to fetch water. It rose to the boy’s knees, and yet more water was
poured. It mounted to his waist, and still Beelzebub brought barrel
after barrel full. It rose to the lad’s armpits, and he scrambled to the
table-top. Presently the water was half way up the window and washing
against the glass, and it swirled around the lad’s legs where he stood
on the table. It kept on rising and reached his breast.
In vain he ordered and begged the demon to desist. The evil spirit
refused to obey, and he would have been pouring water even to this day
had not the master returned. He came in haste, for he had recollected
that he had left his book unlocked, and he arrived just as the water had
reached his pupil’s chin. Without a moment’s delay he shouted the proper
words to make Beelzebub return to his fiery home, and the lad was saved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WHITE TROUT
THERE was once a beautiful lady who lived beside a lake in the western
part of Ireland, and she was to be the bride of a king’s son. But just
before the time set for the wedding he was murdered and thrown into the
lake. So of course he couldn’t keep his promise to the fair lady—more’s
the pity.
The lady was that tender-hearted she went out of her mind because of
losing the king’s son. She pined away, and one day disappeared, and it
was thought that the fairies had taken her.
After a time a white trout was seen in a stream that flowed into the
lake, and the people didn’t know what to make of the creature, for such
a thing as a white trout had never been known before. Years and years
the trout was there, and no harm was ever done to it until some wicked
sinners of soldiers came to those parts. They laughed at the people and
gibed and jeered at them for never trying to catch the white trout. One
of them, in particular, swore he would have the white trout for his
dinner some fine day.
Sure enough, the blackguard caught the trout, and away he went home with
it, pitched the pretty little thing into the frying-pan, and put the
frying-pan over the fire. The trout squealed just like a Christian when
it found itself thus cruelly treated, and the soldier laughed till he
was like to split; for he was a hardened villain. When he thought one
side was done, he turned the trout over to fry the other, but to his
surprise saw not a sign of a burn on it anywhere. “This is a queer trout
that can’t be fried,” said he. “But I’ll give it another turn by and
by.”
As soon as the heathen thought that side was done he turned the trout
again, and behold not a bit more broiled was it than when he began. “Bad
luck to me,” said the soldier, “but this beats the world. However,
cunning as you think yourself, I’ll try you again, my darling.”
So saying, he turned the trout over and over, and he kept the fire
blazing hot, but not a sign of a burn would show on the pretty creature.
He might have known he was doing a wrong thing, seeing that his
endeavors accomplished nothing, and yet he kept on as he had begun.
“Well, my jolly little trout,” said he at last, “maybe you’re fried
enough, though you don’t seem to be any more so than you were when I
pulled you out of the stream. But perhaps you are better than you look,
and a tit-bit after all.”
Then he picked up his knife and fork to have a taste of the trout, but
the moment he put his knife into the fish there was a piercing screech,
and the trout flopped out of the frying-pan into the middle of the
floor. Immediately, on the spot where it fell, stood a beautiful
lady—the loveliest creature that eyes had ever seen, dressed in white,
and a band of gold in her hair, and her arm stained with blood.
“Look where you cut me, you villain,” said she, and she held her arm out
toward him. “Why couldn’t you leave me cool and comfortable in the
river, and not disturb me in my duty?”
The soldier, trembling with terror, stammered out some lame excuse, and
begged for his life, asked her ladyship’s pardon, and declared that he
did not know she was on duty. “If I had known it,” said he, “I am too
good a soldier to have meddled with you.”
“I _was_ on duty,” the lady affirmed. “I was watching for my true love,
who is coming to me; and if he comes while I am away, so that I miss
him, I’ll turn you into the little fish that is called a pinkeen, and
I’ll hunt you up and down for evermore, while grass grows or water
runs.”
The soldier nearly fainted away at the thought of being turned into a
pinkeen. He begged for mercy harder than ever, and the lady said:
“Renounce your evil ways, or you’ll repent too late. Be a good man for
the future and go regularly to church; and now take me and put me back
in the river where you found me.”
“Oh, my lady!” exclaimed the soldier, “how could I have the heart to
drown a beautiful lady like you?”
Before he could say another word the lady had vanished, and he saw the
little trout on the floor. So he put it on a clean plate, and away he
ran to the river as fast as he could go, fearful that her lover would
come while she was away. He ran and he ran until he came to the edge of
the stream and then he threw the trout into the water.
From that day the soldier was an altered man. He reformed his ways, went
to church regularly, and fasted three times a week, though he would not
eat fish even on fasting days, for after the fright he got, fish would
never rest on his stomach. At length he left the army and turned hermit,
and every day he prayed for the soul of the white trout.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE FORTY-NINE DRAGONS
ONCE upon a time there were two brothers, the older of whom was rich and
had four children, while the younger was poor and had seven children. At
last the family of the poor brother was in such want that the mother
went to the rich man and said: “I am very wretched, for I am unable to
provide my children with enough to eat. I take a little meal and mix it
with a great deal of bran, and so manage to make bread. It is well nigh
a year since my children have had any meat. They get nothing but the
meal and bran bread.”
“And yet,” said he, “your children are strong, while mine, in spite of
plentiful and rich food, and other comforts, are always ailing.”
“Yes,” said the woman, “though our lot is one of poverty and hunger,
yet, thanks be to Heaven, our children are hale and hearty. But I fear
for the future, and I have come to implore you, if you need to hire any
work done, that you do not send for any one but me; and may God bless
you and give health to your children.”
As she spoke these words the tears ran from her eyes, and the man called
his wife and said to her: “Here is our sister-in-law wanting work. Have
we something for her to do so she may not sit idle?”
“Yes,” answered his wife, “let her come twice a week and knead bread for
us.”
When the poor woman heard these words she was glad, for she thought that
when she kneaded the fine white bread they would give her some of it,
and her children would eat and rejoice. She rose to go away, and they
said to her, “Good-by, and remember to come tomorrow morning.”
They let her depart without relieving her want by giving her a scrap of
anything. As she set off toward home she said to herself: “Would that I
were rich and could go to my cupboard and bring out a bit of cheese, or
a piece of bread, or a little rice, or other household store to gladden
the hearts of the poor!”
Her children were eagerly awaiting her at home, but alas! she came with
empty hands.
The next day she went early to the rich man’s house to knead bread, and
when she finished her task they bade her farewell and told her to be
sure to come next time, but they gave her nothing whatever.
As soon as she returned home the children said, “Have you brought us
some food, mother?”
“No,” she replied, “but maybe they will send us a bit of bread when the
baking is done.”
However, she waited in vain. Two or three days later she got word that
they wanted her to come and knead again. So she went to the rich man’s
house and began her work. As she was kneading, the thought came into her
head not to wash her hands until she reached home. Then she could give
to the children the water in which she washed off the dough and flour.
She hurried home as soon as she had done kneading, and said to her
children, “I am going to give you a little milk soup.”
Then she washed her hands thoroughly, and divided the water among them,
and they liked it so much they said, “Mother, whenever you go to knead,
be sure to bring us some of that broth to drink.”
Twice a week she went to the rich man’s house to knead bread, and her
children had never been more hearty and vigorous. One day the rich man
was passing by his younger brother’s house, and he put his head in at
the door and said, “How do you do here?”
He looked at the children and was amazed to see how fat they were. That
put him in a great rage, and he went home and called to his wife: “Come
at once, and tell me what you give to my sister-in-law, who does the
kneading for us.”
She was frightened by the way he shouted at her. “I never give her
anything,” she declared, “because I am so afraid of giving her too much
and then getting a scolding from you.”
“You must have given her something,” he persisted, “for her children are
so fat they look as if they would burst.”
“Well,” said his wife, “she takes nothing away with her but her unwashed
hands, and after she gets home she gives the water in which she washes
her hands to the children to drink.”
“Then you must put a stop to that,” he ordered.
So the next time, when the woman had finished kneading, the rich man’s
wife said to her, “Wash your hands and then go.”
The poor woman obeyed with a sad heart, and quailed to think of
returning home without being able to give her children even the milk
soup wash to which they had become accustomed. As soon as she reached
her house the children gathered about her, clamoring that she should
make haste and give them their usual treat; but she said, “I washed my
hands before I came away this time.”
All the children began to weep and to say, “How could you so forget us
as not to bring us that beautiful broth?”
In the midst of the lamentations the father entered the house, and
asked, “What ails the children that they cry so noisily?”
She told him all that had happened, and he was much grieved. “Perhaps I
can find a little food on the mountain-side,” said he. “I will take a
bag and try to get some herbs and edible roots.”