An excerpt from the fairy tale Puss in Boots. Online reading of the book Puss in Boots Puss in Boots
One miller, dying, left his three sons a mill, a donkey and a cat. The brothers divided the inheritance themselves and did not go to court: the greedy judges would take away the last.
The eldest received a mill, the middle one received a donkey, and the youngest received a cat.
For a long time the younger brother could not be consoled - miserable inheritance he got it.
“Good for the brothers,” he said. “They will live together and earn an honest living.” And I? Well, I’ll eat the cat, well, I’ll sew mittens from its skin. What next? Die of hunger?
The Cat pretended as if he had not heard anything, and with an important look said to the owner:
- Stop grieving. It would be better if you gave me a bag and a pair of boots to walk in the bushes and swamps in, and then we’ll see if you’ve been deprived as much as you think.
The owner didn’t believe him at first, but remembered what tricks the Cat comes up with when he catches mice and rats: he hangs upside down on his paws and buries himself in flour. Maybe such a scoundrel will really help out the owner. So he gave the Cat everything he asked for.
The cat dashingly pulled on his boots, threw the bag over his shoulders and went into the bushes where the rabbits were. He put hare cabbage in a bag, pretended to be dead, lay there and wait. Not all rabbits know what tricks there are in the world. Someone will climb into the bag to eat.
No sooner had the Cat stretched out on the ground than his wish came true. The trusting little rabbit climbed into the bag, the Cat pulled the strings, and the trap slammed shut.
Proud of his prey, the Cat walked straight into the palace and asked to be taken to the king himself.
Entering the royal chambers, the Cat bowed low and said:
- Sovereign! The Marquis of Karabas (the Cat came up with this name for the owner) ordered me to present this rabbit to Your Majesty.
“Thank your master,” replied the king, “and tell me that his gift is to my taste.”
Another time, the Cat hid in a field of wheat, opened the bag, waited for two partridges to come in, pulled the strings and caught them. He again brought the booty to the palace. The king happily accepted the partridges and ordered wine to be poured for the Cat.
For two or three whole months, the Cat did nothing but bring gifts to the king from the Marquis of Carabas.
One day the Cat heard that the king was going for a walk along the river bank and was taking with him his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world.
“Well,” the Cat said to the owner, “if you want to be happy, listen to me.” Swim where I tell you. The rest is my concern.
The owner listened to the Cat, although he did not know what would come of it. He calmly climbed into the water, and the Cat waited until the king came closer and shouted:
- Save me! Help! Ah, Marquis Karabas! He'll drown now!
The king heard his cry, looked out of the carriage, recognized the very Cat who brought him tasty game, and ordered the servants to rush as fast as they could to help the Marquis of Karabas.
The poor marquis was still being pulled out of the water, and the Cat, having approached the carriage, had already managed to tell the king how thieves came and stole all his owner’s clothes while he was swimming, and how he, the Cat, screamed at them with all his might and called for help . (In fact, the clothes were not visible: the rascal hid them under a large stone.)
The king ordered his courtiers to take out the best royal outfits and present them with a bow to the Marquis of Karabas.
As soon as the miller's son put on beautiful clothes, the king's daughter immediately liked him. The young man liked her too. He never thought that there were such beautiful princesses in the world.
In short, the young people fell in love with each other at first sight.
To this day, no one knows whether the king noticed this or not, but he immediately invited the Marquis of Carabas to get into the carriage and ride together.
The cat was glad that everything was going as he wanted, overtook the carriage, saw the peasants mowing hay, and said:
- Hey, well done mowers! Either you tell the king that this meadow belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, or every last one of you will be cut into pieces and turned into cutlets!
The king actually asked whose meadow this was.
- Marquise of Karabas! - trembling with fear, the peasants answered.
“You have inherited a wonderful inheritance,” the king said to the marquis.
“As you can see, Your Majesty,” answered the Marquis of Karabas. “If only you knew how much hay is cut from this meadow every year.”
And the Cat kept running ahead. He met the reapers and said to them:
- Hey, well done reapers! Either you will say that these fields belong to the Marquis of Karabas, or every single one of you will be cut into pieces and turned into cutlets!
The king, passing by, wanted to know whose fields these were.
- Marquise of Karabas! - the reapers answered in unison.
And the king, together with the marquis, rejoiced at the rich harvest.
So the Cat ran ahead of the carriage and taught everyone he met how to answer the king. The king did nothing but marvel at the wealth of the Marquis of Carabas.
Meanwhile, the Cat ran up to a beautiful castle where the Ogre lived, so rich that no one had ever seen. He was the real owner of the meadows and fields past which the king rode.
The cat has already managed to find out who this Ogre is and what he can do. He asked to be taken to the Ogre, bowed low to him and said that he could not pass by such a castle without meeting its famous owner.
The ogre received him with all the politeness that can be expected from an ogre, and invited the Cat to rest from the road.
“There are rumors,” said the Cat, “that you can turn into any animal, for example, a lion, an elephant...
- Gossip? - The Ogre grumbled. “I’ll take it and become a lion right before your eyes.”
The cat was so frightened when he saw the lion in front of him that he immediately found himself on the drainpipe, although climbing onto the roof in boots is not at all easy.
When the Ogre returned to his former form, the Cat came down from the roof and admitted how scared he was.
- Impossible? - the Ogre roared. - So look!
And at that same moment the Ogre seemed to fall through the ground, and a mouse ran across the floor. The cat himself did not notice how he grabbed it and ate it.
Meanwhile, the king arrived at the beautiful castle of the Ogre and wished to enter there.
The Cat heard a carriage thunder on the drawbridge, jumped out and said:
- You are welcome, Your Majesty, to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!
“What, Mister Marquis,” exclaimed the king, “is the castle yours too?” What a yard, what buildings! There is probably no more beautiful castle in the world! Let's go there, please.
The Marquis gave his hand to the young princess, following the king they entered the huge hall and found a magnificent dinner on the table. The Ogre prepared it for his friends. But when they learned that the king was in the castle, they were afraid to come to the table.
The king admired the Marquis himself and his extraordinary wealth so much that after five, or maybe six glasses of excellent wine, he said:
- That's it, Mister Marquis. It depends only on you whether you marry my daughter or not.
The Marquis was delighted by these words even more than by the unexpected wealth, thanked the king for the great honor and, of course, agreed to marry the most beautiful princess in the world.
The wedding was celebrated on the same day.
After this, the Cat became a very important gentleman and catches mice only for fun.
One miller, dying, left his three sons a mill, a donkey and a cat. The brothers divided the inheritance themselves and did not go to court: the greedy judges would take away the last. The eldest received a mill, the middle one received a donkey, and the youngest received a cat. For a long time the younger brother could not console himself: he had inherited a pitiful inheritance.
“Good for the brothers,” he said. - They will live together and earn an honest living. And I? Well, I’ll eat the cat, well, I’ll sew mittens from its skin. What next? Die of hunger?
The cat heard these words, but did not show it, but said:
Stop grieving. Give me a bag, and order a pair of boots to make it easier to walk through the forests and fields, and you will see that they have not offended you as much as you now think.
The owner did everything as the cat ordered. And as soon as the cat had everything he needed, he quickly put on his shoes, threw the bag over his shoulder and went to the nearest protected forest.
From the bag containing bran and hare cabbage, the cat made a cunning trap, and he, stretching out on the grass and pretending to be dead, began to wait for prey. He didn't have to wait long: some stupid young rabbit immediately jumped into the bag. The cat, without thinking twice, tightened the bag and went to the royal palace.
When the cat was brought into the royal chambers, he gave the king a respectful bow and said:
Your Majesty, here is a rabbit from the forests of the Marquis de Carabas (he invented such a name for his owner). My master ordered me to present you with this modest gift.
Thank your master,” replied the king, “and tell him that he has given me great pleasure.”
A few days later the cat went to the field and set his trap again. This time he came across two fat partridges. He quickly tightened the laces on the bag and carried them to the king. The king happily accepted this gift and even ordered the cat to be rewarded. From then on, it was like this: the cat kept bringing the king game, as if it had been killed during a hunt by its owner. And then one day the cat found out that the king, together with his daughter, a beautiful princess, was going to take a carriage ride along the river bank. The cat immediately ran to his owner.
“Master, if you listen to my advice,” said the cat, “then consider that happiness is already in your hands.” All that is required of you is to go swimming in the river, to the place where I will show you. Leave the rest to me. The owner obediently did everything the cat advised, although he did not understand at all why all this was needed. Just as he was bathing, the royal carriage drove onto the river bank. The cat rushed as fast as he could towards the carriage and shouted:
Here! Quicker! Help! The Marquis de Carabas is drowning!
The king, hearing these screams, opened the carriage door. He immediately recognized the cat who so often brought him gifts, and immediately sent his servants to rescue the Marquis de Carabas. While the poor marquis was being pulled out of the river, the cat told the king that while his master was bathing, thieves stole all his clothes. (In fact, the sly man hid the owner’s poor dress under a large stone).
The king immediately ordered one of the best outfits in the royal wardrobe to be brought for the Marquis de Carabas. Everything turned out just fine. The king treated the miller's son very kindly and even invited him to sit in the carriage and take part in the walk. And the royal daughter also liked the young man. The royal dress suited him very well. The cat, rejoicing that everything was going as he had planned, ran cheerfully in front of the carriage. On the way, he saw peasants mowing grass in a meadow.
Who owns this meadow?
“To the terrible cannibal who lives in the castle,” the mowers answered.
Now the king will come here,” the cat shouted, “and if you don’t say that this meadow belongs to the Marquis de Carabas, you will all be chopped into small pieces!”
Just then the royal carriage arrived and the king, looking out of the window, asked who owned this meadow.
Marquis de Carabas! - the mowers answered in one voice, frightened by the cat’s threats. The miller's son did not believe his ears, but the king was pleased and said:
Dear Marquis! You have a wonderful meadow!
Who owns this field? - the cat asked them.
“A terrible cannibal,” they answered.
Now the king will come here,” the cat shouted again, “and if you don’t say that this field belongs to the Marquis de Carabas, you will be chopped into small pieces!”
A minute later, the king rode up to the reapers and asked whose fields they were reaping.
Fields of the Marquis de Carabas, was the answer.
The king clapped his hands with pleasure and said:
Dear Marquis! You have wonderful fields!
And the cat ran and ran ahead of the carriage, and ordered everyone who came his way to say the same thing: “This is the house of the Marquis de Carabas, this is the mill of the Marquis de Carabas, this is the garden of the Marquis de Carabas...”
And finally, the cat ran to the gates of a beautiful castle, where a very rich and terrible cannibal lived, the same one who owned all the lands through which the royal carriage drove.
The cat found out everything about this giant in advance. His strength was that he could turn into various animals - an elephant, a lion, a mouse...
The cat approached the castle and asked to be allowed to see the owner.
The ogre received the cat with all the courtesy he could muster: after all, he had never seen a cat walking around in boots, and even spoke in a human voice.
“They told me,” the cat purred, “that you can turn into any animal.” Well, let's say, a lion or an elephant...
Can! - the cannibal laughed. “And to prove this to you, I’ll turn into a lion right now.” Look!
The cat was so frightened when he saw the lion in front of him that in the blink of an eye he climbed onto the roof straight through the drainpipe. It was not only difficult, but even dangerous, because it is not so easy to walk on smooth tiles in boots. Only when the giant again took on his former appearance did the cat come down from the roof and confess to the cannibal that he had almost died of fear.
“They also assured me,” said the cat, “but I certainly don’t believe this, that you can turn into even the smallest animals.” For example, turn into a rat or a mouse. I must admit that I consider this completely impossible.
Ah, that's how it is! Do you think it's impossible? - the giant roared. - So look!
At the same instant the giant turned into a very small mouse.
The mouse quickly ran across the floor. And then the cat, because he is a cat after all, rushed at the mouse, caught it and ate it. So the terrible cannibal disappeared.
Meanwhile, the king passed by a beautiful castle and wished to visit it.
The cat heard the wheels of the carriage knocking on the approach bridge and ran out to meet the king.
You are welcome to the castle of the Marquis de Carabas, Your Majesty! - said the cat.
Is this castle really yours too, Mister Marquis! - exclaimed the king. - It's hard to imagine anything more beautiful. This is a real palace! And it’s probably even better inside, and if you don’t mind, we’ll go and inspect it right now.
The king walked ahead, and the marquis offered his hand to the beautiful princess.
All three of them entered the magnificent hall, where an excellent dinner had already been prepared. (That day, the ogre was expecting friends to visit, but they did not dare to come, having learned that the king was in the castle.)
The king was so fascinated by the virtues and wealth of the Marquis de Carabas that, having drained several cups, he said:
That's it, Mister Marquis. It depends only on you whether you marry my daughter or not.
The Marquis was delighted by these words even more than by the unexpected wealth, thanked the king for the great honor and, of course, agreed to marry the most beautiful princess in the world.
The wedding was celebrated on the same day.
After this, the cat in boots became a very important gentleman and catches mice only for fun.
The miller had three sons, and when he died he left them only a mill, a donkey and a cat.
The brothers divided their father's property among themselves without a notary and a judge, who would quickly swallow all their meager inheritance. The eldest got the mill. The average one is a donkey. Well, the youngest had to adopt a cat.
The poor fellow could not console himself for a long time after receiving such a pitiful share of the inheritance.
The brothers can honestly earn their living,” he said. - What will happen to me after I eat my cat and make a muff out of its skin? Just starve to death.
The cat heard these words, but did not show it, but said calmly and judiciously:
Don't be sad, master. Give me a bag, and order a pair of boots to make it easier to wander through the forest, and you will see that you are not as deprived as you think now.
The cat’s owner himself didn’t know whether to believe it or not, but he remembered well what tricks this rogue used when he hunted rats and mice, how cleverly he pretended to be dead, sometimes hanging on his hind legs, sometimes burying his head almost in flour. Who knows, what if he actually does something to help in trouble!
As soon as the cat got everything he needed, he quickly put on his shoes, stamped his feet bravely, threw the bag over his shoulder, holding it by the laces with his front paws, and walked into the Reserved Forest, where there were many rabbits. And in the bag he had bran and hare cabbage.
Stretching out on the grass and pretending to be dead, he began to wait for some stupid rabbit, who had not yet had time to experience how evil and treacherous the light is, to climb into the bag to feast on the treats stored for him.
He didn’t have to wait long: some young, gullible simpleton rabbit immediately jumped into the bag.
Without thinking twice, the cat tightened his laces and finished off the rabbit without any mercy.
After this, proud of his spoils, he went straight to the palace and asked to be received by the king.
He was brought into the royal chambers. He made a respectful bow to His Majesty and said:
Sir, here is a rabbit from the forests of the Marquis de Carabas (he invented such a name for his owner). My master ordered me to present you with this modest gift.
Thank your master,” replied the king, “and tell him that he has given me great pleasure.”
A few days later the cat went to the field and there, hiding among the ears of corn, he again opened his bag.
This time two partridges fell into his trap. He quickly tightened the laces on the bag and carried them both to the king.
The king willingly accepted this gift and ordered the cat to be rewarded.
So two or three months passed. The cat kept bringing the king game, as if it had been killed during a hunt by his owner, the Marquis de Carabas.
And then one day the cat found out that the king, together with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, was going to take a carriage ride along the river bank.
Do you agree to listen to my advice? - he asked his master. - In that case, happiness is in your hands. All that is required of you is to go swimming in the river, where I show you. Leave the rest to me.
The Marquis de Carabas obediently carried out everything that the cat advised him, although he had no idea why it was needed. While he was bathing, the royal carriage drove onto the river bank.
The cat rushed towards her as fast as he could and shouted at the top of his lungs:
Here, here! Help! The Marquis de Carabas is drowning!
The king heard this cry, opened the carriage door and, recognizing the cat who had brought him game as a gift so many times, immediately sent his guards to rescue the Marquis de Carabas.
While the poor marquis was being pulled out of the water, the cat managed to tell the king that thieves had stolen everything from his master while he was swimming. (But in fact, the sly man hid the owner’s dress under a large stone with his own paws.)
The king immediately ordered his courtiers to bring one of the best outfits in the royal wardrobe for the Marquis de Carabas.
The outfit turned out to fit and suit the face, and since the Marquis was already at least somewhere - handsome and stately - then, having dressed up, he, of course, became even better, and the royal daughter, looking at him, found that he was like once to her taste.
When the Marquis de Carabas cast two or three glances in her direction, very respectful and at the same time tender, she fell madly in love with him.
Her father also took a liking to the young marquis. The king was very kind to him and even invited him to sit in the carriage and take part in the walk.
The cat was delighted that everything was going like clockwork, and happily ran in front of the carriage.
On the way, he saw peasants mowing hay in the meadow.
“Hey, good people,” he shouted as he ran, “
Every child loves fairy tales about animals. Using examples of animal heroes, it is easier for a child to understand what is said in a fairy tale. “Puss in Boots” is a story about a cunning and quick-witted cat who was left as an inheritance to his owner. Well, how can a cat be useful on the farm? But this was no ordinary couch potato. He bribed the king's trust with cunning, told tales about his master's imagined wealth and lured the royal retinue to the palace. The king, without thinking twice, gave his beautiful daughter as a wife to the simple son of a miller. And the cat lived a carefree life next to them, full of fun and entertainment.
Fairy tale: "Puss in Boots"
The miller had three sons, and when he died he left them only a mill, a donkey and a cat. The brothers divided their father's property among themselves without a notary and a judge, who would quickly swallow all their meager inheritance.
The eldest got the mill. The average donkey. Well, the youngest had to take a cat.
The poor fellow could not console himself for a long time after receiving such a pitiful share of the inheritance.
Brothers, he said, can honestly earn their bread if only they stick together. What will happen to me after I eat my cat and make a muff out of its skin? Just starve to death!
The cat heard these words, but did not show it, but said calmly and judiciously:
Don't be sad, master. Give me a bag and order a pair of boots to make it easier to wander through the bushes, and you will see for yourself that you have not been as offended as it seems to you now.
The cat’s owner himself didn’t know whether to believe it or not, but he remembered well what tricks the cat used when he hunted rats and mice, how cleverly he pretended to be dead, then hanging on hind legs, then burying himself almost headlong in flour. Who knows, what if he actually does something to help in trouble!
As soon as the cat got everything he needed, he quickly put on his shoes, stamped his feet bravely, threw the bag over his shoulder and, holding it by the laces with his front paws, walked into the reserved forest, where there were many rabbits. And in the bag he had bran and hare cabbage.
Stretching out on the grass and pretending to be dead, he began to wait for some inexperienced rabbit, who had not yet had time to experience on his own skin how evil and treacherous the light is, to climb into the bag to feast on the treats stored for him.
He didn’t have to wait long: some young, gullible simpleton rabbit immediately jumped into his bag.
Without thinking twice, the uncle-cat tightened his shoelaces and finished off the rabbit without any mercy.
After this, proud of his spoils, he went straight to the palace and asked to be received by the king. He was brought into the royal chambers. He made a respectful bow to His Majesty and said:
Sir, here is a rabbit from the forests of the Marquis de Carabas (he invented such a name for his owner). My master ordered me to present you with this modest gift.
Thank your master,” replied the king, “and tell him that he has given me great pleasure.”
A few days later the cat went to the field and there, hiding among the ears of corn, he again opened his bag.
This time two partridges fell into his trap. He quickly tightened his laces and carried them both to the king.
The king willingly accepted this gift and ordered to give the cat a tip.
So two or three months passed. The cat kept bringing the king game, as if it had been killed during a hunt by his owner, the Marquis de Carabas.
And then one day the cat found out that the king, together with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, was going to take a carriage ride along the river bank.
Do you agree to listen to my advice? - he asked his master. - In this case, happiness is in our hands. All you have to do is go for a swim in the river, where I show you. Leave the rest to me.
The Marquis de Carabas obediently carried out everything that the cat advised him, although he had no idea why it was needed. While he was bathing, the royal carriage drove onto the river bank.
The cat rushed as fast as he could and shouted at the top of his lungs:
Here, here! Help! The Marquis de Carabas is drowning!
The king heard this cry, opened the carriage door and, recognizing the cat who had brought him game as a gift so many times, immediately sent his guards to rescue the Marquis de Carabas.
While the poor marquis was being pulled out of the water, the cat managed to tell the king that thieves had stolen everything from the gentleman while he was swimming. (But in fact, the sly man hid the owner’s dress under a large stone with his own paws.)
The king immediately ordered his courtiers to bring one of the best outfits in the royal wardrobe for the Marquis de Carabas.
The outfit turned out to be in time and suited him, and since the Marquis was already a little boy - handsome and stately, having dressed up, he, of course, became even better, and the royal daughter, looking at him, found that he just to her taste.
When the Marquis de Carabas cast two or three glances in her direction, very respectful and at the same time tender, she fell madly in love with him.
Her father also took a liking to the young marquis. The king was very kind to him and even invited him to sit in the carriage and take part in the walk.
The cat was delighted that everything was going like clockwork, and happily ran in front of the carriage.
On the way, he saw peasants mowing hay in the meadow.
“Hey, good people,” he shouted as he ran, “if you don’t tell the king that this meadow belongs to the Marquis de Carabas, you will all be chopped into pieces like pie filling!” Just know!
Just then the royal carriage arrived, and the king asked, looking out of the window:
Whose meadow are you mowing?
However, Marquis, you have a glorious estate here! - said the king.
Yes, sir, this meadow produces excellent hay every year,” the Marquis answered modestly.
Meanwhile, the uncle-cat ran forward and forward until he saw reapers working in the field along the road.
“Hey, good people,” he shouted, “if you don’t tell the king that all this bread belongs to the Marquis de Carabas, then know that you will all be chopped into pieces, like filling for a pie!”
A minute later the king rode up to the reapers and wanted to know whose fields they were reaping.
Fields of the Marquis de Carabas,” answered the reapers. And the king again rejoiced for Mister Marquis. And the cat kept running forward and ordered everyone who came across him to say the same thing: “This is the house of the Marquis de Carabas,” “this is the mill of the Marquis de Carabas,” “this is the garden of the Marquis de Carabas.” The king could not be surprised at the wealth of the young marquis.
And finally, the cat ran to the gates of the beautiful castle. One very rich cannibal giant lived here. No one in the world has ever seen a giant richer than this. All the lands through which the royal carriage passed were in his possession.
The cat found out in advance what kind of giant he was, what his strength was, and asked to be allowed to see his owner. He, they say, cannot and does not want to pass by without paying his respects.
The cannibal received him with all the courtesy of which an cannibal is capable, and suggested that he rest.
“They assured me,” said the cat, “that you can turn into any animal.” Well, for example, you supposedly can turn into a lion or an elephant...
Can! - the giant barked. - And to prove this, I will immediately become a lion! Look!
The cat was so frightened when he saw the lion in front of him that in an instant he climbed up the drainpipe onto the roof, although it was difficult and even dangerous, because it is not so easy to walk on the tiles in boots.
Only when the giant again took on his former appearance did the cat come down from the roof and confess to his owner that he had almost died from fear.
“They also assured me,” he said, “but I just can’t believe this, that you supposedly know how to turn into even the smallest animals.” Well, for example, become a rat or even a mouse. I must tell you the truth that I consider this completely impossible.
Ah, that's how it is! Impossible? - asked the giant. - Come on, look!
And at the same moment he turned into a mouse. The mouse quickly ran across the floor, but the cat chased after it and swallowed it at once.
Meanwhile, the king, passing by, noticed a beautiful castle along the way and wished to enter there.
The cat heard the wheels of the royal carriage rattling on the drawbridge, and, running out to meet him, said to the king:
Welcome to the castle of the Marquis de Carabas, Your Majesty! Welcome!
How, Mister Marquis?! - exclaimed the king. - Is this castle yours too? It is impossible to imagine anything more beautiful than this yard and the buildings around it. Yes, this is just a palace! Let's see what it's like inside, if you don't mind.
The Marquis gave his hand to the beautiful princess and led her after the king, who, as expected, walked in front. 
All three of them entered the large hall, where a magnificent dinner had been prepared.
Just on this day, the cannibal invited his friends to his place, but they did not dare to come, having learned that the king was visiting the castle.
The king was fascinated by the merits of Monsieur Marquis de Carabas almost as much as his daughter, who was simply crazy about the marquis.
In addition, His Majesty could not, of course, fail to appreciate the wonderful possessions of the Marquis and, having drained five or six cups, said:
If you want to become my son-in-law, Mister Marquis, it depends only on you. And I agree.
The marquis thanked the king with a respectful bow for the honor shown to him, and on the same day he married the princess.
And the cat became a noble nobleman and since then he hunted mice only occasionally - for his own pleasure.
The miller had three sons, and when he died he left them only a mill, a donkey and a cat.
The brothers divided their father's property among themselves without a notary and a judge, who would quickly swallow all their meager inheritance.
The eldest got the mill.
The average one is a donkey.
Well, the youngest had to take a cat.
The poor fellow could not console himself for a long time after receiving such a pitiful share of the inheritance.
“Brothers,” he said, “can honestly earn their bread if only they stick together.” What will happen to me after I eat my cat and make a muff out of its skin? Just starve to death!
The cat heard these words, but did not show it, but said calmly and judiciously:
- Don't be sad, master. Give me a bag and order a pair of boots to make it easier to wander through the bushes, and you will see for yourself that you have not been as offended as it seems to you now.
The cat’s owner himself didn’t know whether to believe it or not, but he remembered well what tricks the cat used when he hunted rats and mice, how cleverly he pretended to be dead, sometimes hanging on his hind legs, sometimes burying himself almost headlong in flour. Who knows, what if he actually does something to help in trouble!
As soon as the cat got everything he needed, he quickly put on his shoes, stamped his feet bravely, threw the bag over his shoulder and, holding it by the laces with his front paws, walked into the reserved forest, where there were many rabbits. And in the bag he had bran and hare cabbage.
Stretching out on the grass and pretending to be dead, he began to wait for some inexperienced rabbit, who had not yet had time to experience on his own skin how evil and treacherous the light is, to climb into the bag to feast on the treats stored for him.
He didn’t have to wait long: some young, gullible simpleton rabbit immediately jumped into his bag.
Without thinking twice, the uncle-cat tightened his shoelaces and finished off the rabbit without any mercy.
After this, proud of his spoils, he went straight to the palace and asked to be received by the king.
He was brought into the royal chambers. He made a respectful bow to His Majesty and said:
“Sir, here is a rabbit from the forests of the Marquis de Carabas (he invented this name for his owner). My master ordered me to present you with this modest gift.
“Thank your master,” replied the king, “and tell him that he has given me great pleasure.”
A few days later the cat went to the field and there, hiding among the ears of corn, he again opened his bag.
This time two partridges fell into his trap. He quickly tightened his laces and carried them both to the king.
The king willingly accepted this gift and ordered to give the cat a tip.
So two or three months passed. The cat kept bringing the king game, as if it had been killed during a hunt by his owner, the Marquis de Carabas.
And then one day the cat found out that the king, together with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, was going to take a carriage ride along the river bank.
– Do you agree to listen to my advice? - he asked his master. “In that case, happiness is in our hands.” All you have to do is go for a swim in the river, where I show you. Leave the rest to me.
The Marquis de Carabas obediently did everything that the cat advised him, although he had no idea why it was needed. While he was bathing, the royal carriage drove onto the river bank.
The cat rushed as fast as he could and shouted at the top of his lungs:
- Here, here! Help! The Marquis de Carabas is drowning!
The king heard this cry, opened the carriage door and, recognizing the cat who had brought him game as a gift so many times, immediately sent his guards to rescue the Marquis de Carabas.
While the poor marquis was being pulled out of the water, the cat managed to tell the king that thieves had stolen everything from the gentleman while he was swimming. (But in fact, the sly man hid the owner’s dress under a large stone with his own paws.)
The king immediately ordered his courtiers to bring one of the best outfits in the royal wardrobe for the Marquis de Carabas.
The outfit turned out to fit and befitting, and since the Marquis was already a little boy - handsome and stately, having dressed up, he, of course, became even better, and the royal daughter, looking at him, found that he was like once to her taste.
When the Marquis de Carabas cast two or three glances in her direction, very respectful and at the same time tender, she fell madly in love with him.
Her father also took a liking to the young marquis. The king was very kind to him and even invited him to sit in the carriage and take part in the walk.
The cat was delighted that everything was going like clockwork, and happily ran in front of the carriage.
On the way, he saw peasants mowing hay in the meadow.
“Hey, good people,” he shouted as he ran, “if you don’t tell the king that this meadow belongs to the Marquis de Carabas, you will all be chopped into pieces like pie filling!” Just know!
End of introductory fragment.
Text provided by LitRes LLC.
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