PUSS IN BOOTS by Charles Perrault Once upon a time an old man called his three sons to his bed. “I am dying,” he said. “Listen. These are my last words. My first son, Dick, must have my windmill. My second son, Harry, must have my donkey.” “Good,” thought Dick and Harry. “We can make flour in the windmill, and the donkey can carry the flour to the market.” “Tom,” the old man said to his youngest son, “you can have my cat Puss.” “My father loves me,” Tom thought, “but he is giving me only a cat. What can a cat do?” A voice behind him said, “Don’t you know?” Tom looked round. “Who said that?” he asked. “Me,” said the cat. “I am not ‘only a cat’. And you must listen to me.” “All right,” Tom said. “I want a hat, and a coat, and big boots. Please make them for me. Oh, and I want a large bag.” Tom didn’t understand, but he began to work at once. Puss soon had big boots, a coat, and a fine hat. He put them on, and he took the bag. “Goodbye,” he said. “Where are you going?” Tom asked. “I’ll come back,” said Puss. “What is Puss going to do?” Tom thought. Puss found some nice rabbit food. He put it in the bag, and he went to the forest. Then he lay down with the bag beside him. Soon a rabbit smelt the food. “It’s in the bag,” it thought, “and a cat’s asleep.” The rabbit went into the bag, and Puss caught it. Puss took the rabbit to the King’s palace. The King was in his palace, and his daughter was with him. She was the loveliest Princess in the world. “Your Majesty,” Puss said. “I bring you this from the Prince of Carabas.” “The Prince of where?” said the King. “Carabas,” said Puss. “It’s here on the map. The Prince is very rich. This is just his first present to you.” “Oh” the King said. “This is a surprise!” Every day Puss caught a different animal or bird and took it to the King. He always said: “A present from the Prince of Carabas.” The palace was soon full of animals. The King said, “Ask the Prince to visit us.” “Tom’s clothes are very old,” Puss thought. “He can’t visit the King and his lovely daughter in them.” One day he said to Tom, “Please go and swim in the river.” Tom was surprised, but he went to the river. He took off his clothes and started to swim. Puss quickly hid Tom’s clothes under a big stone. Then he ran to the bridge. ”Just in time!” he thought. “The King and Princess are coming.” And he shouted, “Help Help The Prince of Carabas is swimming in the river, and thieves have taken all his fine clothes.” The King sent for fine clothes and Tom put them on behind a tree. Then he came out. “What a fine prince” the Princess cried. And to Tom she said, “Please come and sit beside me.” Puss ran along the road. He saw some farmers in a field. “Whose fields are these?” he asked them. “They are ours,” said the farmers, “but an ogre lives in that castle. He’s very big, and he can change into any animal. He takes all our food. He’s very cruel to us.” “All right,” Puss said. “I’ll kill the ogre for you. But you must help me. The King is coming in his coach. You must say to him: ‘We work for the Prince of Carabas. All these farms are his.’ Do you understand?” “Yes,” they said. “We understand.” The King’s coach came to the farmers. “Who are you working for?” the King asked. “We work for the Prince of Carabas,” they said. “All these farms are his.” The King looked at Tom. “My daughter likes him,” he thought. “He is rich. Perhaps he has a fine castle.” Puss walked bravely towards the castle. “How can I kill the ogre?” he thought. “Who are you? What do you want?” It was a very loud voice. Puss looked up and saw the ogre. “People say you can change into any animal,” Puss said. “Is it true?” “Of course, it’s true Look He-He-He” And the ogre changed into a frightening lion. “U-a-a-a” Puss jumped onto the table and hid there. The lion changed into the ogre again, and Puss said, “Yes. You can change into a very frightening big animal. But you can’t change into a very small animal, can you?” “Of course I can,” said the ogre. “But not very small - not a mouse?” “Of course, I can Look” The ogre changed into a mouse - and Puss caught it and ate it. Soon after that, the King’s coach arrived at the castle. Puss was there. “Welcome, Your Majesty,” Puss said, “to the castle of the Prince of Carabas!” “It’s a lovely castle,” the Princess said. So Tom married the Princess. And the happiest guest at the marriage was Puss in Boots.