Perrault's Fairy Tales (Dover Children's Classics) Read Online Free PDF Page A

window. He recognized the cat who had so often brought him game, and bade his escort go speedily to the help of the marquis of Carabas.
    While they were pulling the poor marquis out of the river, Puss approached the carriage and explained to the king that while his master was bathing robbers had come and taken away his clothes, though he had cried “Stop, thief!” at the top of his voice. As a matter of fact, the rascal had hidden them under a big stone. The king at once commanded the keepers of his wardrobe to go and select a suit of his finest clothes for the marquis of Carabas.
    The king received the marquis with many compliments, and as the fine clothes which the latter had just put on set off his good looks (for he was handsome and comely in appearance), the king’s daughter found him very much to her liking. Indeed, the marquis of Carabas had not bestowed more than two or three respectful but sentimental glances upon her when she fell madly in love with him. The king invited him to enter the coach and join the party.
    Delighted to see his plan so successfully launched, the cat went on ahead, and presently came upon some peasants who were mowing a field.
    “Listen, my good fellows,” said he, “if you do not tell the king that the field which you are mowing belongs to the marquis of Carabas, you will all be chopped up into little pieces like mincemeat.”
    In due course the king asked the mowers to whom the field on which they were at work belonged.
    “It is the property of the marquis of Carabas,” they all cried with one voice, for the threat from Puss had frightened them.
    “You have inherited a fine estate,” the king remarked to Carabas.
    “As you see for yourself, Sire,” replied the marquis; “this is a meadow which never fails to yield an abundant crop each year.”
    Still traveling ahead, the cat came upon some harvesters.
    “Listen, my good fellows,” said he, “if you do not declare that every one of these fields belongs to the marquis of Carabas, you will all be chopped up into little bits like mincemeat.”
    “You will all be chopped into little bits like mincemeat”

    The king came by a moment later, and wished to know who was the owner of the fields in sight.
    “It is the marquis of Carabas,” cried the harvesters.
    At this the king was more pleased than ever with the marquis.
    Preceding the coach on its journey, the cat made the same threat to all whom he met, and the king grew astonished at the great wealth of the marquis of Carabas.
    Finally Master Puss reached a splendid castle, which belonged to an ogre. He was the richest ogre that had ever been known, for all the lands through which the king had passed were part of the castle domain.
    The cat had taken care to find out who this ogre was, and what powers he possessed. He now asked for an interview, declaring that he was unwilling to pass so close to the castle without having the honor of paying his respects to the owner.
    The ogre received him as civilly as an ogre can, and bade him sit down.
    “I have been told,” said Puss, “that you have the power to change yourself into any kind of animal—for example, that you can transform yourself into a lion or an elephant.”
    “That is perfectly true,” said the ogre, curtly, “and just to prove it you shall see me turn into a lion.”
    Puss was so frightened on seeing a lion before him that he sprang onto the roof—not without difficulty and danger, for his boots were not meant for walking on the tiles.
    Perceiving presently that the ogre had abandoned his transformation, Puss descended, and owned to having been thoroughly frightened.
    The cat had taken care to find out who this ogre was

    “I have also been told,” he added, “but I can scarcely believe it, that you have the further power to take the shape of the smallest animals—for example, that you can change yourself into a rat or a mouse. I confess that to me it seems quite impossible.”
    “Impossible?” cried the