Puss in Boots

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a poor miller who had three sons. When the miller passed away, he left his three sons what little he had: the eldest received the mill, the middle son got the donkey, and the youngest, to his surprise, received only a cat.

The youngest son, feeling sad, said, "What am I supposed to do with a cat? My brothers at least got something useful. I guess I’ll just eat what I can and then starve."

Hearing this, the cat, who was no ordinary cat, stood up on two legs and spoke. "Don’t worry, master," said the cat. "Give me a pair of boots and a bag, and I will make you rich!"

The young man was shocked. "A talking cat?" he exclaimed. "How can you make me rich?"

"Just trust me," the cat said confidently, "and you will see."

Although he had little money, the young man bought the cat a pair of fine boots and a sturdy bag. Puss, now wearing his new boots, set off on his first plan. He went into a nearby field where there were many rabbits. He placed some vegetables in his bag, and soon, a curious rabbit hopped right into the bag. Puss quickly closed it and went to the palace of the king.

Arriving at the palace, Puss in Boots asked to speak with the king. He presented the rabbit and said, "Your Majesty, I bring you a gift from my master, the Marquis of Carabas."

The king, who had never heard of this "Marquis of Carabas," was pleased with the gift and thanked the cat. Puss continued bringing gifts of game, such as partridges and pheasants, to the king, always saying they were from his master, the Marquis of Carabas.

One day, Puss overheard that the king and his daughter, the beautiful princess, would be riding along the river. He ran back to his master and said, "Master, if you follow my plan, your fortune will change forever! Go to the river and pretend to bathe. When the king passes by, I’ll take care of the rest."

Though confused, the young man trusted Puss and did as he was told. As soon as the king’s carriage appeared, Puss in Boots ran up to it, shouting, "Help! Help! My master, the Marquis of Carabas, has been robbed! He was bathing, and thieves stole all his clothes!"

The king, recognizing the cat who had brought him so many gifts, immediately ordered his servants to fetch fine clothes for the young man. When the young man appeared dressed as a nobleman, the king was impressed.

The king said, "You must join us in our carriage, Marquis of Carabas!" The young man, now dressed like royalty, joined the king and the princess, who quickly took a liking to him.

Meanwhile, Puss in Boots ran ahead to a grand castle owned by a cruel ogre who possessed great lands. The ogre had the power to transform himself into any creature. Puss boldly entered the castle and said, "I’ve heard you can transform into anything. Is that true?"

The ogre grinned, showing his sharp teeth. "Of course! Watch me turn into a lion!" And in a flash, the ogre transformed into a mighty lion.

Puss pretended to be frightened. "That is impressive," he said, "but I bet you can’t turn into something small, like a mouse."

The ogre, eager to show off, scoffed. "Ha! That’s easy!" He quickly transformed into a tiny mouse, running across the floor. Without hesitation, Puss pounced on the mouse and gobbled him up, ending the ogre’s reign forever.

Soon after, the king’s carriage arrived at the castle, and Puss greeted them at the door. "Welcome to the castle of my master, the Marquis of Carabas!" Puss announced.

The king, amazed by the wealth and size of the castle, said to the young man, "My dear Marquis, you must be very rich and powerful. I would be honored if you would marry my daughter."

The young man, delighted, accepted the king’s offer, and he and the princess were married in a grand celebration. Puss in Boots, having fulfilled his promise, became a trusted advisor to the new lord and lived in luxury for the rest of his days.

And so, with the help of his clever and loyal cat, the once poor miller’s son became a nobleman, and they all lived happily ever after.