Puss in boots
ManualiPc
Once upon a time there was an old miller and when he died he left a mill, a donkey and a cat to his three sons.
To the eldest he left the mill, to the middle son the donkey and to the youngest the cat.
The two older brothers were very happy of what their father left them because they could earn an honest living by working together.
The third son was very upset and wanted to know why his father had been so unfair.
The cat, who understood everything, said to his owner: "Don't worry, get me a sack and a pair of boots so I can walk through the woods. You'll see that you're not so unlucky".
Even though he didn't believe the cats words so much, the boy did as the cat wished and hoped to receive a small consolation from his misery.
Having received what he wanted, the cat started to walk towards the woods.
Along his way he picked up some lettuce and put it in his sack and when he reached the woods he opened it up on the ground. Then he lay next to it and pretended to be dead.
He lay there waiting for any young animal to fall for his trap.
He didn't have to wait long as soon after, a rabbit came along and, wanting to eat the lettuce the cat had put in the sack, it went inside.
The cat leapt up and closed the poor rabbit in the sack.
He then went to the King's court and asked for an audience. So he entered the royal apartments and when he was in front of the king, he bowed down and said: "Sire, please accept this rabbit as a gift from my owner, the marquis of Carabas". This was a name that the cat invented on the spot.
The king was very pleased with the gift and told the cat to thank the marquis.
The next day the cat returned to the woods and laid down his trap once again. This time he caught two partridges.
Once again he went back to the king. This time there was also the princess who was considered the most beautiful dame in the world.
"Sire, please accept these two partridges as a gift from my owner, the marquis of Carabas". The cat said.
The king was very happy with this gift and he gave a tip to this unusual servant.
The cat continued to take game to the king for many months, telling him that his owner hunted it in person specially for the king.
One day the cat heard that the king was going to take a stroll along the river with the princess.
So he said to his owner: "If you go for a swim in the river, where I tell you, your luck will be in! Leave it to me".
The boy did as the cat told him and while he was in the water, the cat hid his old clothes near a big rock.
When he saw the king coming, he shouted as loud as he could "Help, help, the marquis of Carabas is drowning".
When the king heard the shouts, he recognised the cat who had brought him so many gifts and he immediately ordered his servants to help the marquis.
The cat thanked the king and told him that unfortunately some thieves had stolen his master’s clothes.
The king immediately sent somebody to fetch some clothes for the unlucky marquis.
When he was dressed, the boy introduced himself to the king who liked him straight away because of his good manners.
The boy was so fascinating that even the princess was attracted to him and fell in love almost straight away.
The king asked the boy to get on his carriage and continue the stroll with them.
The cat, having seen that everything was going as planned, ran ahead.
Along the road he met some farmers who were cutting the grass, and he said to them: "When the king comes, tell him this land belongs to the marquis of Carabas, otherwise you will be in serious trouble".
The farmers were very frightened because the cat seemed extremely serious.
When the king arrived he asked the farmers who the land belonged to.
Remembering the cat’s threat, the farmers replied "it belongs to the marquis of Carabas".
The king complimented the pretend marquis for the beautiful lands he owned.
In the meantime the cat continued to run ahead and when he met some farmers reaping he said to them: "When the king comes, tell him this land belongs to the marquis of Carabas, otherwise you will be in serious trouble".
When the kings carriage reached the reapers, the king asked the farmers who all that grain belonged to.
The reapers answered how the cat told them to "it belongs to the marquis of Carabas".
The king was pleased and surprised at the boy's riches.
In the meantime the cat reached the castle that was at the end of the road.
He knew it belonged to a cruel troll. That troll was very rich and very cruel and he also owned all the lands the king had just visited.
He knocked on the big door and asked the servants to meet their lord.
The troll received him in a lavish hall. The cat told him that he was passing through his lands and wanted to pay him tribute.
He also said: "I have heard that you can turn into any animal you want".
"Certainly" the troll said gruffly. "To show you, I will turn into a lion right before your eyes, so you can tell everybody how strong and fearsome I am".
The troll turned himself into a lion and let out a terrifying roar. The cat got very frightened and almost escaped through a window.
When the troll returned to his normal self the cat calmed down and said to the troll: "Your power is really great".
"But I have been told" said the cat "that you can also turn into very small animals like a mouse. I must say that I don't really believe that".
The troll answered immediately "Rubbish, I can change into any creature I wish, and I will prove it to you".
He turned himself into a small mouse. Before the troll could understand what was happening, the cat pounced on him in a flash and swallowed him up.
Hearing that the king's carriage was arriving, he returned to the great door of the castle and told the servants that their new lord was arriving, the marquis of Carabas.
The king's carriage stopped in front of the entrance to the great castle.
The cat came out of the door and said "Your Highness is welcome in the castle of the marquis of Carabas".
"Marquis, is this splendid castle yours? How magnificent". Exclaimed the king, fascinated. "I would like to see inside".
They entered the castle and the servants made a great fuss over their new lord and prepared a banquet for his illustrious guests.
The king was so taken by the royal manners of the young marquis and his great wealth that he asked him to take his daughter's hand in marriage.
The boy was honored by such a proposal that he accepted to marry the princess with great enthusiasm.
The wedding was celebrated the same day. So the miller's son, who became the rich marquis of Carabas, married the princess.
The cat took off his boots and went back to being a house cat, between meals, naps and games.
And they all lived happily ever after.
