Puss in Boots

When the miller died, his youngest son inherited only an orange tabby cat. “Do not lose hope yet,” said the cat. “Give me a cloth bag and little boots, and I will help us make a start.” The young man sold his last possession for the boots, but made the cat promise not to hurt anyone.

Puss gathered woodland herbs and mushrooms in his bag, then presented them at court. “A gift from the Marquis of Carabas, Your Majesty!” he announced. Puss had invented the grand name. The king enjoyed the forest treats, while the impressive title began traveling faster than the truth.

One day, knowing the royal coach would pass a stream, Puss sent his master swimming and cried that servants had stolen the Marquis's clothes. The king provided a fine coat. When the coach stopped to ask his name, the young man blushed. He did not want the invention to carry them any farther.

At a nearby castle, Puss challenged its boastful lord to turn into a mouse, then trapped him beneath a basket. “I could take everything with this trick,” Puss thought. But the young man arrived and freed the mouse. He told the king he was a miller's son and that fear of poverty had led Puss to invent the title.

The king disliked the lies, but he respected their courage in admitting them. He let the pair manage the royal mill for one season. Puss planned wisely, while the young man weighed every sack fairly. When honest work made the mill thrive, the king named him its keeper—and this title was true.